Caesalpinia

Chris - Sorry, I don't have an explanation: I just don't know if there
are thorn-ed and thorn-less varieties. I wouldn't say that C.g.'s
spines are the hardest and most vicious in the world (speaking as a
man who nowadays only clears rubbish out of his puya-rosettes with a
vacuum cleaner...) but they're definitely there and they can
definitely do you harm if you're daft enough to be cavalier with'em. I
should perhaps add that my plant(s) are seed-grown and I'm trusting
the label on the seed-packet to have told true - but everything about
the plants agrees with the written descriptions so I've no reason NOT
to trust it.

>Tim, this is strange, here in Austin my Caesalpinia gilliesii
>is thornless. It matches the habit and cold tolerances and
>flower structure to exactly, otherwise. Could there be a 
>thornless variety as in the Mesquites? My C. pulcherrima is
>"furry" with very soft spines that aren't a problem to garden
>under. It's orange and gold blossoms drive the butterflies and
>hummingbirds insane. I just wish it was as cold hardy as 
>C. gilliesii because it must re-grow from the soil each spring.
>
Diane: But how do you use those darned long things on relatively small
shrubs?? But I'll give'em a try. Anything's better than every autumn
ending up looking like a refugee-extra from The Shining...

And of course I should have known that Dave would be growing C.
pulcherrima in Tropical Torquay!


Tim Longville
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