Amur Corktree               fel-o-DEN-dron a-moor-EN-se

• Deciduous tree, 30-45 ft (9-14 m), short trunk, spreading, horizontal, stout stems.  Bark on old trunks ridged and furrowed, gray-brown, with a cork-like pattern, especially in old age.  Leaves, opposite, pinnate (odd), 25-40 cm long, each leaflet entire and 5-10 cm long, acuminate, lustrous dark green above.  Yellow to bronze yellow in fall.  Horseshoe leaf scar, petiole nearly encloses bud.  Flowers dioecious - male and female flowers on different plants - appear in late spring, small, yellowish green, in wide clusters.  Fruit yellowish, finally black, 10-15 mm diam., held into late fall, strong odor when crushed.
• Sun, wide spreading root system, does well on many soil types.   Withstands drought and polluted air.
• Caution: This species is considered invasive to forests, woodlands, and parks in some parts of the eastern U.S.  Female trees produce abundent fruit/seeds, seeds are dispersed by birds and probably by water via streams and other drainages.  It may be wise to plant only non-fruit producing male trees.
• Hardy to USDA Zone (3)4     Native to northern China, Manchuria and Japan.
• amurense: refers to the Amur River region in eastern Siberia
• Oregon State Univ. campus: male tree in front of Memorial Union, west side.
• Corvallis: female trees on Jefferson near 1st St. (across from Post Office).