Pterocarya stenoptera - Deciduous - Chinese Wingnut Page

Pterocarya stenoptera, also known as Chinese Wingnut, is a beautiful deciduous tree that can grow up to 20 meters tall. It has dense foliage which can be thinned by pruning. The alternate deciduous leaves are pinnately compound, bearing odd numbers of elliptic-oblong pinnately-veined leaflets with serrate margins. The tree grows rapidly under optimal conditions, easily reaching 70 feet with substantial spreading branches. What makes this tree unique is the shape of the wings on its fruit which are reminiscent of the wings of the common fly and connected to the two sides of the walnut-shaped fruit which is about the size of a garbanza. The wings lie in two different planes. The fruiting catkins develop in the summer on 2.5 dm long catkins, hanging from the distinctly textured green foliage, and are considered desirable from a landscaping perspective. Pterocarya stenoptera prefers a sunny position in a rich strong loam with abundant moisture at the roots and is tolerant of compacted soils. The leaves are resinous to the touch and emit a resinous aroma. It is originally from Southeast China and is now widely cultivated as a shade tree. USDA rates this tree as being appropriate in zones 6B - 11.