Vinegar trees are known for their fall color. The shrubs have adapted their growth to specific habitats. Under optimal conditions they tend to spread uncontrollably.
How does the vinegar tree grow?
The vinegar tree shows adaptable growth and prefers sandy, stony soils. It reaches a height of 3-10 meters and forms several trunks with a wide crown. The tree spreads via shallow root runners, which can occasionally sprout uncontrollably.
Leaves and flowers
The leaves of the vinegar tree are arranged alternately. A leaf is between twelve and 60 centimeters long. The leaf blade is composed of nine to 31 leaflets. Two leaflets face each other. The terminal leaflet forms the conclusion. The petioles and veins on the underside of the leaves are covered by velvety hairs.
The vinegar tree is popular because of its striking autumn coloring of the leaves. The green foliage turns yellow, then orange and finally turns crimson in October. It is not uncommon for a tree to have leaves of different colors. The discoloration changes depending on the type of soil in which the vinegar tree grows. Although it has little demands on the substrate, it does not like heavy soil. These cause stunted growth, which also affects leaf development. The autumn colors are less magnificent.
Appearance of flowers:
- Individual flowers form a flask-shaped inflorescence
- male inflorescences are yellow-green in color
- female inflorescences appear red
Growth habit
The deciduous shrub grows between three and five, rarely between seven and ten meters high. It forms several trunks that support a broad crown. Typical of the vinegar tree are the crooked trunks, which give the shrub an overgrown character.
The young branches have velvety hair. The tree spreads over large areas via root runners that creep flat in the ground. In this way they draw nutrients from the sandy and stony soil to which they are naturally adapted. The runners often tend to sprout, which can lead to overgrown stands over large areas.
