Virginia Tech Dendrology

katsuratree Cercidiphyllaceae Cercidiphyllum japonicum Siebold & Zucc. symbol: CEJA2
Leaf: Opposite or partially alternate, simple, heart shaped, blunt teeth on margin, 2 to 3 1/2 inches long and nearly as wide, purple when emerging, turning dark green above, lighter below.
Flower: Species is dioecious; flowers not showy, appearing before leaves in March to April.
Fruit: Small, less than one inch long, curved, dry pods, occurring in small clusters, initially red, mature in fall.
Twig: Slender, reddish brownish, numerous lighter lenticels, distinctly swollen at each node; buds are reddish with valvate scales, tightly appressed, triangular and slightly curved inward.
Bark: Initially very smooth with numerous light lenticels, later darkening and splitting into thin curling strips.
Form: Medium sized tree to 40 to 60 feet in height, broad pyramidal crown, often with multiple trunks.

Additional Range Information: Cercidiphyllum japonicum is planted in the USDA hardiness zones shown above and is not known to widely escape cultivaton. Download the full-size PDF map.
More Information: Fall Color
External Links: USDA Plants Database - Horticulture Information
All material 2025 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information