Scientific Name
Pterocarya stenoptera
Though the Chinese wingnut tree is closely related to the walnuts (genus Juglans) and the hickories (genus Carya), it is a bit of a misnomer to call it a nut tree since there is nothing edible about the fruit, at least for humans. The Chinese wingnut may grow to 40 or more feet tall and wide. It has attractive compound leaves in the walnut model with up to 25 leaflets and gives off a tropical vibe. The midrib of the compound leaf is winged, which helps account for the tree’s name.
The flowers form in late spring on long male and female catkins, with the female catkins developing into 20-inch-long hanging skeins holding the nuts. The nuts feature a pair of wings that jut to either side at angles resembling the swept-back wings of a fighter jet, though some people compare them to the wingnuts sold at hardware stores. Fall foliage color is yellow green and not particularly notable.
The Chinese wingnut is very rare in Colorado, and at present we know of only two growing here at Regis and another two at Denver Botanic Gardens. Three of them have developed as multi-stem trees, which may lead to a broader-than-tall form at maturity. As with all of these tree experiments, we need to wait to see what will happen, since it may never have grown in this region before.