Golden-branch Chinese scholar tree (Sophora japonica 'Jinye') is an ornamental landscaping tree with golden-yellow branches

Golden-branch Chinese scholar tree is a cultivated variety of the deciduous legume tree Chinese scholar tree (Sophora japonica), named for its branches that stay golden yellow year-round. Its leaves are the typical pinnately compound leaves of the Chinese scholar tree, and it bears pale yellow flowers in summer, similar to the ordinary Chinese scholar tree; its most striking ornamental feature is the stem and branches, especially after leaf fall in autumn and winter, when the golden-yellow branches stand out vividly in the sunlight, making it a rare tree grown for its winter branch display.

For propagation, grafting is mostly used, generally with seedlings of the common Chinese scholar tree as rootstock, and after it takes, growth is relatively fast. The golden-branch Chinese scholar tree likes light and tolerates light shade; it is fairly cold-hardy and drought-tolerant, and is not demanding about soil, but grows better in deep soil layers with good drainage. During care, avoid waterlogging and drain promptly in the rainy season; to maintain the tree shape and encourage new branch growth, appropriate pruning can be carried out.

In landscape applications, the golden-branch Chinese scholar tree is often used as a street tree or shade tree, and can also be planted as an accent in parks and courtyards; paired with evergreen species, it creates a sharp color contrast in winter and enriches the landscape layers. It adapts well to urban environments and is relatively low-maintenance, making it one of the more popular colored-branch trees in northern landscaping.

It should be noted that the golden-branch Chinese scholar tree and the succulent plant known as golden-branch jade leaf only have similar names; the two are not related. The former is a tall ornamental tree, while the latter is a small succulent in the purslane family, with completely different growth habits and care methods, so do not confuse them when buying.