Imprisoned mystery tree in Puerto Rico

[Cindy Adair]

This tree is hard to photograph so I leaned it over, but has a single slim trunk (1/2 inch or so in diameter) about 8 feet tall and is root bound in a pot. I honestly felt sorry for the plant and the going out of business nursery in PR, but the seller could not supply a name.

It is unwieldy in the pot so if it is not a noxious weed I want to plant it to keep it from falling over and save the bother of repotting.

It tolerates full sun just fine and those leaves do look familiar.

Please help it get a proper name and be set free. Thanks!

[Jdiaz31089]

My initial guess was some sort of brachychiton - possibly acerifolius or populneus. Though those leaves seem rather large for brachychiton at this stage, and I think that both of the species I mentioned have more pointed ends on the leaves, not rounded like in your picture. Do you have pictures of the whole plant? 

[Cindy Adair]

These are the only two current photos.

I hope it's a Brachychiton as I no longer have one in the ground.

[Loxahatchee Adam]

It looks much more Sterculia to me.  Same family.

[fastfeat]

Firmiana colorata?

[caixeta]

Ochroma pyramidale  - Pau -de -Balsa , Pata-de Lebre ?

[Cindy Adair]

What great suggestions! So far it fits best with the online photos of Firmiana simplex but I have not yet researched all the suggestions. F. simplex is a tree I grew in my VA home which was deciduous but grew tall and looked tropical, surviving our zone 8 winters.

That could explain why the leaves look so familiar.

Now I read they could have invasive potential in the Southern U.S. However, lots of competition here so my biggest concern with invasive plants are aquatics and vines. Anybody have comments on the potential harm from planting a Firmiana (if that is my tree) in Puerto Rico?

Thanks!

 

[fastfeat]

1 hour ago, Cindy Adair said:

What great suggestions! So far it fits best with the online photos of Firmiana simplex but I have not yet researched all the suggestions. F. simplex is a tree I grew in my VA home which was deciduous but grew tall and looked tropical, surviving our zone 8 winters.

That could explain why the leaves look so familiar.

Now I read they could have invasive potential in the Southern U.S. However, lots of competition here so my biggest concern with invasive plants are aquatics and vines. Anybody have comments on the potential harm from planting a Firmiana (if that is my tree) in Puerto Rico?

Thanks!

 

Very doubtful that Firmiama simplex would grow in PR... just too mild. Not really much of a Zone 10 tree, let alone a Zone 12/13.  Needs chill to induce dormancy.

But Firmiana colorata is much more likely to be in PR.. I've only seen a couple specimens, and a quick Google search shows considerable foliar variability. Adam and Eric know these far better than I do. But can almost certainly eliminate Brachychiton. 

Best of luck...

[Eric in Orlando]

Definitely looks like a Malvaceae memeber (Bombacaceae and Sterculiaceae are now lumped in). 

My first guess is Cavanillesia platanifolia, Quipo Tree. Or Sterculia apetala.

[Eric in Orlando]

I agree it is definitely not F. simplex. It struggles here in zone 9b/10a. Also the leaves are too glossy and the lobes are too rouned. But F. colorata is a tropical tree and would grow well in PR.

[Loxahatchee Adam]

Here are some comparison pics.  It's really windy out now, so hard to get a pic.

Ochroma    Bottom of leaves have slight rough sandpaper-ish texture to them.  Not fuzzy

 

Cavanillesia    Underside of leaves fuzzy.  Top side smooth.   New leaves the same.

 

Firmiana colorata    New leaves super fuzzy all over, top and bottom.  Old Leaves very soft fuzzy bottom, smooth top.

 

Sterculia apetala    New leaves flush red, fade to green.

 

[Cindy Adair]

Wow that was super nice of you Adam to go to all that trouble to help me!!!

It is completely dark here now and I must leave before 5 am tomorrow. Otherwise I would march to my tree right now to compare. Your Firmiana colorata is the one right now that looks the closest.

Eric, I did not know F. simplex only grew in cooler climes. 

I learn so very much from you all and truly appreciate it!

I can't remember any leaf fuzziness, but am not certain. The leaf photos I saw on line of F. colorata were likely of the leaves of mature trees and looked not quite the same as mine but  as I learned here, many of these trees have totally different shapes and your photo seems to fit best.

I too grow S. apetala below. Seeds from a Palmtalker, thank you!

and Quipo aka canoe tree or Cavanillesia platanifolia but mine are small.

These don't look like my mystery plant but of course are small.

 

 

 

[Cindy Adair]

I finally got to check the leaves of the mystery tree.

No fuzziness anywhere.

In fact fairly thin smooth leaves (on both sides) young and old to me.

Maybe I can guess it will be big and need full sun so I should just plant it somewhere far from the house and see what happens? Then when it flowers I'll be certain? Or one of you can stop by when you are in PR and likely will know for sure!

 

 

 

 

[Palmsbro]

Has it flowered?

[Cindy Adair]

Not yet! The poor thing survived hurricane Maria, but in a pot and neglected. It was top heavy so braced in too much shade.

The rare palms and orchids an such got most of my attention. Well, besides the whole no secure potable water or electricity or phones or internet for months part.

 I finally repotted it and have acclimating in full sun growing some new leaves and on my long list to plant! 

Thanks for asking!