Chinese parasol tree

Also known as Wutong, Japanese Parasol Tree, Phoenix Tree

Chinese parasol trees feature striking green bark that remains smooth into maturity, topped by broad umbrella-like leaves over thirty centimeters wide. Native to East Asia, this deciduous tree bears sprays of fragrant yellow-green flowers in early summer followed by papery pods that split into leaf-like structures. In parts of North America where it was introduced as an ornamental, its prolific self-seeding allows it to form dense stands along forest edges.