Brisbane tree guide

Golden rain tree

Koelreuteria elegans subsp. formosana · also called Chinese rain tree, Chinese flame tree, Flame gold

The golden rain tree is a Taiwanese ornamental grown for its sprays of yellow flowers and the pink, papery seed capsules that follow. Brisbane City Council lists it as pest vegetation, because its wind-blown seed spreads into bushland edges, creek banks, gullies and roadsides around Brisbane. Grow Me Instead suggests golden penda or ivory curl instead, and the council suggests the native cheese tree.

Exotic
Brisbane pest plant
5 to 12 m tall
Flowers November to February

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A golden rain tree — Photo: 玄史生, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Golden rain tree at a glance

Height: 5 to 12 m (up to 25 m in the wild)
Growth: Fast
Leaves: Deciduous
Flowers: Yellow, November to February
Origin: Taiwan
Family: Sapindaceae

How to identify a golden rain tree

It is a medium-sized tree, usually 5 to 12 m tall, with rough, grey-brown bark that is furrowed lengthwise. The leaves are very large and twice divided, up to about 60 cm long, with many pointed leaflets 5.5 to 10 cm long. Big branched sprays of small, bright yellow flowers appear at the branch tips. The seed capsules are what most people notice: inflated, three-sided papery lanterns that start bright red or deep rose-purple and fade through pink to brown. A related species, Koelreuteria paniculata, is also called golden rain tree but has leaves divided only once, with larger leaflets.

Golden rain tree fruit up close — Photo: Forest and Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0 us, via Wikimedia Commons

Growing a golden rain tree in Brisbane

Golden rain tree has been widely grown as a garden and street tree in the warmer parts of Australia, and it grows easily in Brisbane, which is part of the problem. It has naturalised around Brisbane and near Noosa, and it turns up on roadsides, disturbed ground, gullies, creek banks and the edges of urban bushland. As listed pest vegetation it is not a tree to plant, and Grow Me Instead lists native and non-invasive alternatives for South East Queensland gardens.

What to watch out for

The seed is the issue. The light, papery capsules blow away with the seed inside, and Grow Me Instead notes that many new plants come up near the parent tree each season. Brisbane City Council lists it as pest vegetation and notes that it is on the national Alert List for Environmental Weeds. The City of Gold Coast's planting guidelines also class it as invasive in bushland fringes.

Seedlings. It sets seed heavily: the papery capsules carry seed on the wind and in water, and many seedlings come up around the parent tree each season.

Pruning and care

If you are keeping a golden rain tree for now, pull up seedlings as soon as you see them, while they are small and easy to remove. Larger plants are usually controlled by cutting them down and treating the stump, by basal bark spraying or by stem injection, following the herbicide label. Bag seed capsules and prunings rather than dumping them, as garden waste is one way the seed spreads. Felling a tree near a house or power lines is a job for a professional with the right gear.

Golden rain tree: your questions

Short answers, from the sources below.

Back to the tree guide

Is the golden rain tree a weed in Brisbane?

Yes. Brisbane City Council lists the golden rain tree as pest vegetation, so you generally don't need a council permit to remove it, as long as the work doesn't affect a significant landscape tree or damage protected plants nearby.

When does the golden rain tree flower in Brisbane?

Brisbane City Council says it flowers briefly in late spring or early summer, while Grow Me Instead describes flowering in late summer. The pink seed capsules follow and are mostly on the tree from late summer into autumn.

What can I plant instead of a golden rain tree?

Grow Me Instead suggests golden penda, ivory curl, Leichhardt bean or yellow flame tree for South East Queensland gardens, and Brisbane City Council suggests the native cheese tree.

How tall does a golden rain tree grow?

Usually 5 to 12 metres, according to Brisbane City Council, although it can reach 25 metres.

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Sources and credits

Photo: 玄史生, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Second photo: Forest and Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0 us, via Wikimedia Commons.

Checked October 2026. Weed listings and council rules change: check the council's and the Queensland Government's pages before you act.