Amur Corktree
2301 Haultain Ave.
This beautiful backyard tree is best viewed from around the corner over the fence. Very rare in Saskatoon, the Amur Corktree Phellodendron amurense is native to eastern Asia. It gets its name from its bark which is uniquely ridged and slightly spongy or corky to the touch.
It is used in traditional medicine in China, India and Japan and has a unique bright neon yellow inner layer. Its bark should not be confused with cork for wine bottle stoppers and other uses which comes from the bark of the Cork Oak Quercus suber, an evergreen oak native to southwest Europe and northwest Africa. The Amur Corktree was introduced to North America as an ornamental shade tree in 1856. Male and female plants are separate (dioecious) and each bears hanging panicles of yellowish- green flowers from May through June. It tolerates drought and a wide range of soil conditions, and produces an abundance of fruit. Those attributes have caused it to be considered invasive and in need of control in some northeastern US states. In our climate it is borderline hardy and not likely to cause that sort of problem.
Alternate location: 44 Campus Dr., Toxicology Centre, east side of building