Cercidiphyllum japonica 'Amazing Grace'
2003 Theodore Klein Plant Award Winner
'Amazing Grace' katsura-tree is a plant Theodore Klein got from Jess Eliot and has been distributed to others over the years. Before Theodore died in 1998 he named the plant, with help from Bob Hill and Mike Hayman. He had previously distributed the plant to Buddy Hubbuch, retired Chief Horticulturist of Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest, to be planted at Bernheim. An equally beautiful plant grows in Louisville's Cave Hill Cemetery. 'Amazing Grace' grows to be 15-25 feet tall and is normally wider than tall. The fall color is a very nice orange-yellow. Michael Dirr, author of the Manual of Woody Landscape Plants says "one of my favorite trees, overwhelming in overall attractiveness". The Theodore Klein Plant Award Committee has selected this plant to be one of the Theodore Klein Plant Award Winners for 2003.