6 replies to this topic

[Eric in Orlando]

Gmelina arborea, Snapdragon Tree, is flowering for the first time. It was grown from seed in 2003 and planted out in April 2004, about 3ft tall. It is a fast growing tree and is now about 40ft tall. It can reach 50-70 ft tall and has large cordate leaves and that can be up to 8 inches across. It goes bare in late winter and begins flowering in early spring.

Gmelina arborea is a member of the Lamiaceae Family (mint), formerly Verbenaceae (which is now lumped into Lamiaceae). It is native to a wide region of SE Asia, from India to Yunnan, China and down to Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. It is valued in its native lands for timber, medicinal use, and the leaves as food for a certain silkworm. The tree is also called White Teak because of its valued lumber.

[fastfeat]

Cool.

There are a couple of these in Miami Springs, but they are much more compact/stunted, maybe because they're on shallow limestone.

How did this fare in the colder winters?

[Eric in Orlando]

We have 2 growing and both went through the previous 2 cold winters fine.

There is a huge specimen at Fairchild, kind of straight in from the entrance building near that overlook.

[carver]

There is a large tree in front of a restaurant here in Gulfport and one at Selby gardens also. Interesting trunk and if I recall the flowers smell a little too.

Eric, nice to meet you at the sale Saturday, very excited about the Draco.

[Eric in Orlando]

Nicve to have met you also. Hope the D. draco grows well !!!

[Ray Tampa]

There's a nice sized one at Busch Gardens in Tampa. Nice but very messy.

[Eric in Orlando]

There's a nice sized one at Busch Gardens in Tampa. Nice but very messy.

Where in BG is it growing ? I will look for it next time I am there