Tetradium daniellii

the species

RutaceaeTetradium

The bee bee tree or wafer ash is in the citrus or Rutaceae family and is native to Korea and southwestern China. It is a deciduous tree with a rounded, spreading, umbrella-shaped habit, growing up to 9 m tall, with a similar spread.

It was formerly called Euodia daniellii and Evodia daniellii.

  • Leaves are opposite, pinnately compound, up to 45 cm long, each with 7–11 ovate, glossy dark green leaflets 5–10 cm long; fall colour is generally absent.
  • Flowers are small, fragrant, white, sometimes tinged yellow or pink, forming flattened corymbs 10–15 cm wide in July-August, at a time when few other trees are in flower.
  • Fruit is a reddish-purple seed pod that splits open when ripe, containing 2 shiny, buckshot-like black seeds; pods remain on the tree from late August to November.
  • Bark is smooth, gray.

Contributors

  • William (Ned) Friedman
  • Philippe de Spoelberch