Hortus Botanicus Leiden, Netherlands

Common name: Honingboom, Sophora, Japanese pagoda tree, Chinese scholar tree, エンジュ enju, 槐 huai

Family: Fabaceae subfam. Faboideae (Pea or bean family)

Synonym: Sophora japonica

Distribution: China

Life form: Tree

Comments: This large tree from China, Korea and Japan has been known as Sophora japonica since it was described in 1753 by Linnaeus. Sophora is a transcription of an old Arab name for the genus, japonica was chosen while Linnaeus apparently got his first material from Japan. In 1830 the species was moved to the genus Styphnolobium, named after the tart taste of the legumes. It has brittle wood, so it often loses a branch in stormy weather. The tree flowers in July and August with bunches of white flowers that seldom grow into fruits.