Pseudobombax ellipticum planted.

[Stan]

I know for years I said I wouldn't plant it since most of the appeal of the thing is the bulbous green and turquoise striped base. But,year after year of it in a pot needing me to water often..I just planted it out and believe me,in this climate I will have no problems keeping it compact..but large enough to bloom I hope.

It's all going in unless there is zero chance in the open and in the ground..like my Cattleyas-lol.

Plus.this area seems to be hard for gophers to find..lots of cement or asphalt between this spot and the empty lot.

That dead branch? From 2007 when I had planted it out the year before. AFTER 2007 I potted it up until yesterday.

[Meangreen94z]

That trunk is beautiful. What is the hardiness of it from your experience?

[Stan]

Here, it takes occasional 32f ok..at 28f there is big dieback. But,I have seen this in Texas 9b's where it was a all out tree that was often killed back to the trunk by a freeze..and came back very fast in the long hot texas summers. Best in Brownsville...but just might come back in Houston. Sort of like Ficus roxburghii will come back from the roots in climates as cold as Atlanta every year.

[Stan]

The granddaughter helped me water that plant the other day. As soon as the water hit the trunk all the colors showed..green,turquoise,and others. " LOOK! a Rainbow plant!" like only a happy 8 year old can say.
I like when plants amaze kids. Btw,she's really getting into my carnys,as the school must show educational programs about them as she tells me how they catch bugs.

[Meangreen94z]

It is a really interesting and beautiful plant. But I’ve realized recently I need to lay off on buying many more tender plants until I can afford a decent sized green house(many years from now, If ever) I’ve already set myself up for some long winter nights, especially if it drops below 25*F.

[Stan]

It is a really interesting and beautiful plant. But I’ve realized recently I need to lay off on buying many more tender plants until I can afford a decent sized green house(many years from now, If ever) I’ve already set myself up for some long winter nights, especially if it drops below 25*F.

I get you. Too many plants that die in only a colder than average winter just takes the interest out. Or even if too many look bad in winter, that wears on me.

[Meangreen94z]

Yeah, the night it dropped to 19*F I was up until 1am pulling cactus out of the ground, moving pots, wrapping large plants in Christmas lights/blankets/foam/oversized pots. A lot of minor damage but not many plants completely dead.

[RustyShakleford]

My first Bombax repotted, has since leafed out.

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Roots when I was re potting it.

ACD05893-BE40-45A3-8C16-8311FCF99A58.jpeg (157.29 KiB) Viewed 4800 times

Seedling

EED6564C-F31C-4377-BE86-48C305BE53F1.jpeg (131.43 KiB) Viewed 4800 times

That’s a nice looking pseudo bombax ellipticum Stan, bought one awhile back hope it develops a nice caudex. Then I bought 38 seedlings to keep a few and resell. Has anyone here tried cutting the tap root on a Bombax to promote better caudex development? I cut a few as an experiment, I guess time will tell.

[Stan]

They can be cut back all you want. I've seen them with caudex like a football shape,with sort of a tortoise shell pattern and only a thin stem or stems.
I might be jumping the gun..but I think I see buds swelling on the tree! Its never bloomed before. I have to guess I bought it in 2002 or so. This years no frost and the fact that its getting sunup to sundown light where it now is could be the trigger. I thought it was never going to bloom for me.
IF it really is ready to bloom.

[Stan]

I saw on the net Rusty a Texas dealer in I imagine was south Texas planted one in his nursery..and he had kept it cut back mucho for a Tree..but that only made the trunk thicker with better color and I bet even with that fat trunk and two fat branches the whole thing wasn't over 10'. With many blooms too. So that's what I think I can shoot for.

[Stan]

If I hadn't just planted the P.ellipticum at the corner? I would put the Silk floss tree seedling there . Its potted as of today..but I want to plant it as soon as it roots well.

[Stan]

DANG, it didn't bloom. Maybe next year.

[RustyShakleford]

Stan I just saw your post about the 10’ PBE, if you think 10’ was huge check out this beast! It’s at Quality Cactus and select seed in Donna TX. I was walking around with the owner Roger trying to find the T. terchecki, when we came around the corner I saw this tree with familiar leaves, “Is that a Bombax?” “Yeah and the damn help isn’t doing to good of a job about picking up these seed pods, that’s money laying there!” “Holy **** that’s the biggest Bombax I have ever seen!” He then went on to tell me about one he had that was even bigger! Said the trunk was about 6’ across, and they cut it down. He decided he wanted to make a picnic table out of the stump so they leveled the top of it but it didn’t work out too well because , and I quote “The damn thing kept growing back!” LOL, I’m sure going to miss stopping by that place when he closes down in July.

[Stan]

Oh yeah,South Texas is pretty close climate to its natural habitat. Did he say if it was the white flower or that pink-red one seen in Mexico?
Its June 7th and mine has very tiny new foliage. Same for the Crotons. No more Crotons btw. They are just too marginal and my wife killed the best one giving it some leftover wash basin water that MUST have had soap of come kind. I was pretty mad and she knew it. The fiddle leaf was perfect all winter..then dead. Almost killed a 15 year old Chirita..a type of giant African violet. Its leaves turned gray green. All to save one millionth of a penny on the water bill.

[RustyShakleford]

Not sure of the color, I will have to ask him next time I go by there. I would bet that seedling I sent you is the offspring of this tree, he was mad about finding the seed pods on the ground, said the help wasn’t doing a good job and that’s money they are leaving on the ground! I hear you on the saving water, mine doubled this month, finally got some rain so that should help.

[Stan]

Update: Off and growing. Its not figured out its in the ground as new growth had hardly any color. Next year will be different. If you've seen my Beaucarnea recurvata photos on A ville, you can see our cool moderate climate keeps them way down compared to truly warm or hot summers..or tropical. But,they look good still in reduced sizes and care is EZ once they are planted out.

[Meangreen94z]

I dug up your old Beaucarnea Recurvata post after you mentioned it. It’s funny how I think I’ve seen everything in your yard, but there is always more. How low of a temperature has it seen? What do you fertilize it with? I’ve been holding off on a recurvata until I buy my next house, since they are so readily available. But I have (3) small Stricta , 4 hiriartiae, and 1 medium sanctomariana. Next up is gracilis.

[Stan]

My Beaucarnea recurvata took the "mini big bay area freeze" of 1998. That's when I'm sure we had a few nights in the 28f range. It did get singed. I thought it could take that kind of cold..but it shed those and came back with no other damage. The trunk was fine.
I toss any thing that says "Organic"..and lately I've used Azalea and Rhodo because the Pony tails in California tend to yellow. It's a fast reaction to green up. Like you can almost watch it work.
The B.gracilis would be a find..they look great and I bet can take low 20's fine. Those stiff gray leaves have "cold and dry tolerance" written all over them. It just MIGHT be the better looker.

[Stan]

Btw--- that lonely Aloe fronting the Bombax? THAT's the Aloe Ron sent me in trade for the Moonglow. It's just getting those chunky leaves. Cant wait for the "Super Red" blooms. Something like that was the name. Funny but when people send you things? You try harder than when you paid money sometimes. I could go on a walk and point to "Chrissy gave me that Aloe distans ( i think) in 2002".. And she's not a plant person. She just knew I am.
Quite a few have a story.
A good post for the Deep Thoughts topic.