Firmiana simplex grows fast and large — 30 to 45 feet tall with a dense, rounded canopy and a trunk that stays conspicuously green long after the leaves fall, giving it winter interest most deciduous trees cannot match. The leaves, which can reach 12 inches across, cast shade dense enough to justify the common name. Native to eastern China, Japan, and Taiwan, it was introduced to North America by the botanist Andre Michaux, who planted it in Charleston, South Carolina in the late 1700s. Fragrant, cream to yellow-green flowers appear in late spring in long panicles, followed by unusual seed pods that contain a brownish varnish-like liquid — the source of the name Japanese varnish tree.

This is a tree with both admirers and detractors. In the right setting — a large lawn, a parking lot median, a protected site away from wind that might snap the branches — its combination of bold foliage, green bark, and yellow fall color is genuinely striking. But it self-seeds prolifically, particularly in sandy soils and warm climates, and is listed as invasive in Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Anyone planting it should do so with intention, on a site where seedlings can be monitored and removed. The spectacle is real. So is the commitment.