Exposure: Full Sun
Water: Medium
Height and Spread: 30’ x 20’
Blooming Season: Summer
Region: All Areas
Japanese Scholar tree is also known as the pagoda tree because it is planted in shrine gardens in Asia. It is a very arid adaptive shade tree with small compound glossy dark green leaves and honey-scented white flowers that bloom in summertime. A perfect sized tree for small patios and outdoor living spaces, it provides dappled shade, making these spaces comfortable during the summer.
However, this tree can be messy as it drops flowers, seed pods and leaves in late summer through the fall. The debris is easy to sweep away on smooth concrete surfaces, more difficult with flagstone patios. Try the cultivar ‘Regent’ for earlier blooming and a narrower canopy. Water weekly for the first few years of establishment during the hot summers. Once established, water once or twice a month to keep it healthy.