It's getting a lot more interesting to drive around town these days. A couple months ago I wrote about the purple-flowering black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia 'Purple Robe'). Now it's the yellow-flowering golden rain tree (Koelreuteria paniculata). I spied it for the first time at a La Grange garden during The Morton Arboretum's "Best of the West" garden walk in July. Then I saw several in full bloom as I was driving along North Lake Shore Drive near the Lincoln Park lagoon.



All the trees were medium-sized with panicles of yellow flowers shooting upward from the top of the canopy. It is reputedly fast-growing and can be expected to reach a height of 30 feet. 

— Carolyn Ulrich

Photo Courtesy of The Morton Arboretum