Japanese name: モクゲンジ（木患子） Scientific name:Koelreuteria paniculata
[Overview]
A deciduous small tree to tree 2–12 m tall.
The leaves are alternate, odd-pinnately compound with 13–17 leaflets, 20–35 cm long and 10–18 cm wide.
The petiole is 3–8 cm long.
The leaflets are ovate, 4.5–8.5 cm long and 3–5.5 cm wide, with dense appressed soft hairs on the underside and pinnate notches along the margin.
Large panicles 15–40 cm long appear at the branch tips and bear many yellow four-petaled flowers about 1 cm across.
The petals are strongly reflexed and have red appendages, and the base forms a short claw.
The fruit is an ovoid capsule, 4–5 cm long and 2.5–3 cm wide, inflated like a balloon.
It contains black seeds.
[Uses]
The seeds are made into juzu (Buddhist prayer beads).
The seeds and flowers yield a yellow dye.
It is also used medicinally.
[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed or by root cuttings.
It grows well in any soil as long as the site is sunny.
