Highlights
Botanical Name
Koelreuteria paniculata
Year
2005
Text of the Plaque
U.S. Capitol Grounds
Commemorative Tree
Koelreuteria paniculata
(Golden Raintree)
To Honor Nobel Peace Laureate
Wangari Maathai of Kenya
Sponsored by
Rep. Barbara Lee
Planted on May 11, 2005
Honoree Details
With advanced degrees in biology, Wangari Maathai was both an environmentalist and a political activist. In 1977, she led a national movement to reforest Kenya. Her organization is credited with planting about 30 million trees and making it a project for as many as 30,000 underemployed women.
Tree Details
The tree's most notable ornamental characteristic is the showy yellow flowers in early summer.