Re: ID of flowering tree
- To: "M. & L. Doster" , m*@ucdavis.edu
- Subject: Re: ID of flowering tree
- From: J* M*
- Date: Sun, 24 Sep 2000 13:42:17 -0700
Mark,
Your tree is indeed Chorisia speciosa, the pink floss silk tree, native to
southern Brazil. After flowering is finished, it will form large egg-shaped
seed pods, which will ripen in the spring. These pods will be full of silky
white folded parachutes resembling silk or rayon (it is closely related to
the tropical Kapok tree, which is used to stuff upholstery, pillows, life
jackets). Attached to each parachute is a black seed about 1/4 in. or less
in diameter. They are easy to germinate by puring hot water over them and
letting them sit overnight before planting. They also make good houseplants
for medium light, and can be kept in a 6-in. pot for several years (although
they won't bloom this way). Get someone to collect some seed for you next
spring when the pods open and release their contents on the air, or find
someone who has one it his or her yard. There usually will be seedlings. I
don't know of any commercial source for the seed. A similar white-flowered
species is Chorisia insignis, and they often hybridize in cultivation to
produce light pink forms with varying density of spikes on the trunk.
John MacGregor
jonivy@earthlink.net
----------
>From: "M. & L. Doster" <mld@theworks.com>
>To: <medit-plants@ucdavis.edu>
>Subject: ID of flowering tree
>Date: Sun, Sep 24, 2000, 12:46 PM
>
> My brother was in San Luis Obispo (on the central coast of California) and
> wanted to know the identification of a tree. To quote him:
> "I was in SLO today and there was an amazing tree in bloom. It had large
> pink blossoms that looked like lilies. And the tree itself was smooth but
> with sort of spikes on its trunk and branches. I was looking for any seeds
> but couldn't see any. I tried going to the SLO blooming tree web site but it
> seems to be gone. Sure would like to find out what that tree is."
>
> He thinks it might be a Chorisia - floss silk tree species. I wouldn't know
> since I tend to garden through my stomach; so if a plant doesn't have an
> edible part, I have trouble remembering much about it.
>
> Also, my brother would like to know how to get seeds or cuttings for it.
>
> Can anyone identify this tree?
>
> Thanks.
>
> --Mark
> Mark Doster
> California
>
>
