Rue family, Rutaceae
Origin: eastern Asia
Habitat in the original area: floodplain forests
Habitus: A deciduous tree planted most often as a solitary tree and growing to the height of about 15 metres. Its crown is widely spread and has an umbrella-like character. It is striking with its thick, deeply fissured light grey bark.
Leaf: Its leaves consist of 5–13 leaflets which are pointed, dark green and shiny on the face and greyish on the back. In autumn, they turn golden yellow and fall off quickly.
Bloom, fruit: It blooms in June. The panicle inflorescences of inconspicuous green blossoms are covered with trichomes. The fruits are black drupes that smell of turpentine.
Interesting fact: The bark of this tree was previously widely harvested and processed for the production of corks. In North America, the species has been spreading spontaneously from plantations. It is also used in Chinese medicine.
