About Pterocarya fraxinifolia (Poir.) Spach
Pterocarya fraxinifolia (Poir.) Spach is a monoecious tree that grows less than 30 meters tall. It has a short, thick trunk that supports widely spreading branches, forming a rounded structure similar to wych elm. Its pinnate leaves can grow over 60 centimeters long, made up of 7 to 27 sessile leaflets. Flowers emerge in April: male catkins are thick and green, 7.5 to 12.5 centimeters long, while female catkins are longer, with more loosely spaced flowers, and bear red styles. After pollination, the female catkins become fruiting catkins that reach 30 to 50 centimeters long, holding green, winged nuts approximately 1.8 centimeters wide. This is a fast-growing species that grows best on flat ground or shallow slopes near river banks, in deep, moist soil. Its native distribution occurs in climates with mild winters and mild, humid summers. It most often grows in mixed stands alongside other tree species, and only rarely forms pure, single-species stands.
