Hovenia dulcis

In its youth, the tree has a broad, pyramidal canopy shape, and in later years, it gets rounder and more oval. The leaves are fresh green, and they turn a beautiful yellow before shedding in fall. The straight trunk with a grooved appearance stands out in the tree’s columnar structure – picturesque and handsome. At the end of spring and beginning of summer, white and fragrant flowers grow in clusters.

Hovenia dulcis excels in cold and is resistant to frost. It does less well in heatwaves, and accordingly it is common in northern Israel and the more temperate areas of the lowlands and coastal plain, and it is suitable for mountain areas. It requires regular watering summer, but it suffers from excess water, so well-drained soil is essential. Like most plants, it is not well-suited to saline soil.