What is this "hideous" plant?

Discussion in 'Plants: Identification' started by jorielle, Mar 27, 2008.

  1. jorielle

    jorielle Member

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    I saw this in Huntington Botanic Gardens last week but did not get to see the tag.
     

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    Last edited: Mar 28, 2008
  2. Lila Pereszke

    Lila Pereszke Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    WOW amazing!!! :) Some Chorisia sp. (Ch. speciosa) I believe...
     
  3. constantgardener

    constantgardener Active Member 10 Years

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    You could try emailing the pic to Huntington and ask for an id. Wild plant! Lucky you to be able to visit!
     
  4. lorax

    lorax Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    Shoot shoot shoot. We have those down here, in the south and the jungle.... I can't recall the name at the moment though.

    Edit - A-HA. Check out: Kapok tree - Ceiba pentandra and its relatives. It was basically leafless but had pods or large hibiscus style flowers on it, no? Now is the season when all good ceiba bloom, and they go deciduous for the occasion.

    Compare
     
    Last edited: Mar 28, 2008
  5. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    The swelling of the trunk is probably abnormal, with the typical tapering stem it wouldn't appear monstrous.
     
  6. lorax

    lorax Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    Happens here in drought areas as a response to water shortage - the tree makes a bottle in its trunk to store extra.
     
  7. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Too bad they're not full of beer.
     
  8. Lila Pereszke

    Lila Pereszke Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Amazing google-pics... :)
    (1-2.Chorisia insignis, 3.Ch. speciosa (syn. Ceiba)
     

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  9. lorax

    lorax Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    They are one of my favourite trees....
     
  10. jorielle

    jorielle Member

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    ... to climb?

    Thank you all for finding out more about this tree!
     
    Last edited: Mar 28, 2008
  11. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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  12. lorax

    lorax Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    No worries...

    And to digress into cheese a tad (sing this to the tune of "My Favourite Things" from The Sound of Music)

    Thorns on the kapok and fern-trees all mossy...
    Tall sturdy cocoa with pods smooth and glossy...
    Red-blooming Ceibo all covered in bees,
    These are a few of my favourite trees....

    Vasconcella! Lovely Bixa! Andanenthra tooo!
    I just have to think of my favourite trees
    To remember why
    I
    Moved.
     
  13. Newt

    Newt Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Lorax, my dogs loved my singing and chimed in. They thought my laughter was just tooo much and began to bark!!

    I loved it!
    Newt
     
  14. meridian

    meridian Member

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    This specimen was located in the jungle of western Costa Rica near the Tarcoles River. It was tall and slender. I've often wondered if the red stain (near the bottom of the photo) was left by a tourist who touched it to see if the spines were really sharp. They are!
     

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  15. lorax

    lorax Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    Key word there is JUNGLE. That specimen is getting enough water, so it has no reason to bottle up.
     
  16. DGuertin

    DGuertin Active Member 10 Years

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    Chinese Floss Silk tree. While we're on the subject; anyone have any clue as to how one got into the middle of the woods in Tomball, TX? Stopped me in my tracks when I found it two weeks ago. Doesn't look too thrilled to be there in heavy shade, but it's a good 20 - 30' from the ground up, with a 6 - 8" diameter trunk...
     
  17. lorax

    lorax Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    How did they come to be called Chinese? Ceiba pentandra and Ceiba speciosa (the two that take that common name) are South American natives.....

    DGuertin, Tomball TX is close enough to Mexico (part of the native range of C. pentandra) to be within the wind-seeding range for the odd Ceiba. Additionally, it could be a windblown escapee of a botanical garden.

    It wouldn't be too thrilled about full shade, but that's what stimulated it to get tall. It's far from its peak height, though, since the tree can live for hundreds of years and top 100 feet when it's happy.
     
  18. Weekend Gardener

    Weekend Gardener Active Member 10 Years

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    The tree is from South America.

    I thought the name "Chinese Floss Silk" is because the material inside the seed pod looks like chinese floss silk.
     
  19. Love4Bugs

    Love4Bugs Active Member

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    Awesome tree! It's been too long since I've been to the Huntington - definitely have to get there this month. Thanks for sharing the photo!
     

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