Tree of the Week

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Good morning, and happy Labor Day weekend. Question: If Labor Day marks the traditional end of summer, and you live, as we do, in the Land of the Endless Summer, what does Labor Day mark in Southern California?

But of course we digress. Tree of the week, from our tree-loving friend Pieter Severynen, is our weekly reminder to lighten up a little and smell the tulip trees:

African tulip tree – Spathodea campanulata

Our green immigrants come from all over the world. The African tulip tree is native to tropical Africa. It puts on a spectacular show in late spring or summer, when the 4-inch orange-red tulip-shaped flowers are carried above the glossy deep green 18-inch-long leaves that are subdivided into up to 19 leaflets. The African tulip tree blooms early and grows fast, eventually reaching 40 to 70 feet tall and 20 to 50 feet wide.

But it is a tropical tree: it cannot stand frost, especially when young, so plant it upslope, not in a cold air pocket. It has adapted well to our climate and needs only moderate watering. In wetter climates, the unopened buds collect foul smelling water that comes squirting out when squeezed, but here our children grow up without those natural water pistols.

Thanks, Pieter.
E-mail Pieter: Plseve@earthlink.net
Photo Credit: www.plantsofdisneyland.com
Comments? Thoughts? Insights?