Xanthoceras sorbifolium

The shiny leaf yellowthorn , goldenhorn or Chinese flowering chestnut is in the soapberry or Sapindaceae family and is native to southern northern China (provinces of Gansu, Hebei, Henan, Liaoning, Nei Monggol, Ningxia, Shaanxi, and Shandong).

It is a large deciduous shrub or small tree growing to 8 m tall.

• The leaves are arranged alternately, pinnate, 12–30 cm long, with 9–17 leaflets, the leaflets 3–6 cm long, with sharply serrated margins.
• Flowers are 2–3 cm in diameter, with five white petals, and are produced in erect panicles 10–20 cm long in mid spring, with the terminal panicles being generally the largest; flowers have a coloured staining at the base and as it matures, staining changes from a soft yellow to a carmine colour.
• Fruit is an oval leathery capsule 5–6 cm diameter, which splits into three sections at maturity to release the 6–18 seeds; the seeds are black, 1.5 cm diameter, resembling a small horse chestnut seed.