re: Sesbania punicea
>X-Sender: sohara@popserv.ucop.edu (Unverified)
>Date: Tue, 24 Aug 1999 11:15:57 -0700
>To: medit-plants@ucdavis.edu
>From: "Sean A. O'Hara" <sean.ohara@poboxes.com>
>Subject: re: Sesbania punicea
>Cc: jshowers@epix.net
>Mime-Version: 1.0
>Reply-To: sean.ohara@poboxes.com
>Sender: owner-medit-plants@ucdavis.edu
>
>At 10:51 PM 8/23/99 -0400, you wrote:
>>> I have a Sesbania punicea which is well over 8 feet tall with all the
>>> leaves growing at the top. My husband thinks I can cut the plant in
>>> half, the top can be rooted & the bottom half will grow new leaves.
>>> I think the plant will die. Who is right?
>>> Thanks, Judy Showers, greenhouse gardener in PA, zone 6b
Dear Judy, 24 August 1999
I had a client who loved this tree for its oddly colored flower
display. Over the 12 years I cared for her garden and expanded
it we planted more than a dozen, once in a small grove of five.
Today, 12 years later their isn't a trace of one of them. They
resented pruning and I am fairly sure the top will not root for
you--I'd go for a non blooming lateral branch. I know the bottom
has almost no chance of refoliating--they usually die quickly after
a drastic pruning.
Surprisingly her longest lived was in a large wooden box (c. 55 gals.)
on a shaded west wall and it seemed more drought tolerant in the
container than it ever had in the ground. It lived to be 8 yrs old
declining slowly by die back during its last year. It never releafed
after our 1990 freeze where is was subject to 20F-nor did its
companion, ground-cover Lotus berthelotii.
Although its no challenge to the Sesbania as a bloomer I'd try
replacing it with a "prickly ash", darn why does its bot. name
excape me. Gorgeous foliage, great trunk and form and tremendously
strong survivor. Mine came through 19F in 1990.
Good luck! Let us know how you do because it's relevant in our
mediterranean climate as an outdoor rather unique specimen plant.
Cheers!
Michael D. Barclay
Michael D. Barclay, Really Special Plants & Gardens, Kensington, CA
Cal Hort Council
opga@wenet.net Growing 2,000 species fifteen miles from the Golden Gate!
