The Katsura, named after a town in Tokushima prefecture in Japan, grows in single-stem and multi-stem variations.
The leaves that put on an autumn display turning from rich green to yellow to shades of purple.
The Katsura is a dioecious plant, producing male and female flowers on separate trees.
The Spruce / Autumn Wood
It grows best when planted inlate winter or early spring.
Katsura Tree Care
Here are the main care requirements for growing a Katsura tree.
In the North, give them full sun, and they will achieve betterfall foliage color.
The Spruce / Autumn Wood
However, the Katsura can also tolerate clay soil, acidic soil, andsalty soil.
Water as required to keep the soil moist (but not wet) until the tree is well established.
Once established, it becomes somewhat drought-tolerant.
The Spruce / Autumn Wood
In damp climates or rainy seasons, avoid overhead watering to prevent leaf mildew.
Fertilizer
Fertilize newly planted saplings using a higher nitrogen mix fertilizer(20-20-20 NPK).
it’s possible for you to use granular, liquid, or stake fertilizers; follow the package instructions.
The Spruce / Autumn Wood
In general, fertilize once a year in late fall or early spring before buds develop.
Begin shaping the growth of the tree when it’s young.
Remove crossing or crowded branches.
After the tree is established, it should only need pruning every three to five years.
Check the tree each spring, and remove any suckers or dead branches.
A stem cutting is propagated from a healthy stem of softwood or semi-hardened stem.
Remove all the leaves except for the two topmost sets.
Using a sharp, sterilized blade make a notch 1 inch below the sucker.
As you pull or peel off the sucker, you will get some bark with the basal cutting.
Notching will prevent without excessively damaging the tree and givie it a better chance of healing cleanly.
If you neglect to notch the trunk, too much bark can peel and injure the tree.
Katsura trees can be propagating through cuttings.
Common Pests & Plant Diseases
This plant is relatively disease and pest-free.
It may develop powdery mildew in very humid, warm climates.
This mold looks like a light velvety white layer or white spots on leaves.
Picking a suitable planting site is perhaps the most essential factor for maintaining good health.
Dry weather, high winds, and exposure to too much sun can cause leaf scorch.
You may notice the leaves falling in late summer rather than the fall.
Watering your tree deeply and providing adequate mulching around your tree can also prevent leaf scorch from worsening.
Trim off the dead bark, but be careful not to pull off any remaining healthy bark.
The leaves will suddenly turn brown, start shriveling, and fall off.
This infection is most likely from overwatering or too much rain or moisture.
The condition may originate in the roots and root crown below the soil.
At this advanced stage of deterioration, it may be difficult for the tree to survive.
Katsura trees are very long-lived trees.
Specimens planted in Europe and North America 1800s are still alive and growing strong.
A Katsura tree in South America is over 500 years old.
Since it has few pests and strong resilience, it can probably live over 1,000 years.
Katsura can be trained to grow as bonsai plants.
It’s challenging and requires a cutting from a mature tree or starting from a seedling.
It will need shaping over time, adequate moisture, well-draining soil, and filtered sunlight to grow properly.
