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Unhapy African Tulip, Spathodea campanulata


Jesse

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I have an African Tulip Tree that has been in the ground about 18 months.  Last year we had lots of beautiful blooms.  This year it is much bigger however we have had only a handful of mediocre blooms and it drops lots of leaves and small branches.  I would not be concerned with dropping leaves if it was in the winter however the weather has been great between 80 and low 90s mostly. In the third picture, the thin spot in the middle is noticeable. I have noticed that the glassy winged sharp shooter enjoys bouncing between this tree and some of my others if that matters.

Anybody have any ideas?

Is this normal?

TIA

20170910_165906.jpg

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   They stress easily but always rebound. Rainfall affects (or lack thereof) their blooming and leaf-drop times. I wouldn't worry at all.

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On 9/11/2017, 8:40:45, Jesse said:

This year it is much bigger however we have had only a handful of mediocre blooms and it drops lots of leaves and small branches.

I agree with Gonzer.  Relative to the small branches which you see with leaves, it is perfectly normal.  As it gets bigger, you will become accustom to raking up a "ton" of these. Well maybe not 2,000#'s, but they will fill your recycle bins.  Despite the fact that it isn't blooming in the full tree shots you have posted, it looks pretty healthy.  In years to come, as you rake up dropped flowers on a daily basis, you may reflect differently on the year that it didn't drop too many flowers.  A beautiful tree when placed well! 

I sort of miss when mine was smaller and dropping a few less flowers.  It has grown significantly in the eight years since this photo.

20090815-IMG_4554 Spathodea.jpg

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33.0782 North -117.305 West  at 72 feet elevation

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Thanks for the input!  I am under the assumption that I am watering it plenty.  I also fertigate with 23-13-8.  Could it have been the recent high heat?  We had a hand full of days just over 100 and many days in the 90s. I would like this tree to become a statement maker in my palm garden and I placed it so that the whole tree would be viewable from the kitchen window.  I hope we get a lot more blooms next year as we love the flowers.  I contemplate supplementing my fertigation with a bloom booster next year on my flowering plants and trees.

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 High heat even for a short while can make Spathodeas get all goofy. Ask our fellow forumites in Hawaii and Queensland what they think of the tree. 

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2 hours ago, Gonzer said:

Hawaii and Queensland what they think of the tree.

Invasive in both places.  Funny how something which is detested in one climate, can be a prize or at least appreciated in another climate.  My hated tree right now is the Brazilian Pepper in my neighbor's backyard, shooting roots everywhere, and sprouting where ever the breeze blows their seeds.

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33.0782 North -117.305 West  at 72 feet elevation

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My Wife and I enjoy the African Tulip very much however all my friends from Hawaii always shake their head at the invasive plants (to Hawaii) I put so much effort in growing.

I'm also not a fan of the Brazilian Pepper Tree.  My neighbor also had one which started to destroy the block wall between us. Thankfully he cut it down after I showed him the damage. I'm still pulling out the seedlings though.

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I like the yellow ones but have never seen one in person.  There is something about the orange color that is absolutely demanding of attention which I may favor.  Matt, is the picture you posted from Costa mesa?  If so, I'd like to perform a drive-by viewing.

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Those trees are spectacular! @Tracy do you have any recent pictures of your tree?

On 9/13/2017, 2:38:00, Gonzer said:

 High heat even for a short while can make Spathodeas get all goofy. Ask our fellow forumites in Hawaii and Queensland what they think of the tree. 

I always imagined these trees were from hot savannas. Do you know if anyone grows these in the interior deserts in CA? 

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5 hours ago, Jdiaz31089 said:

@Tracy do you have any recent pictures of your tree?

I don't, it is hard to shoot, as it is near the patio cover, which obscures the view from the lower level, along with a P reclinata, and from the upper patio, where the other shot was taken, you can't get a sense of the tree anymore. 

 

23 hours ago, Matt in OC said:

The orange ones are nice, but the yellow...wow!

 

7 hours ago, Jesse said:

I like the yellow ones but have never seen one in person.

There is at least one yellow among the collection at the Self Realization Center in Encinitas, right next to Swami's surf parking lot (above the right point break).  You can see them as you drive by on the Coast Highway if you ever heading south.

33.0782 North -117.305 West  at 72 feet elevation

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Love the photos! I still like this tree, but in the wetter parts of Western PR it is quite aggressive. It will regrow if cut off level to the ground with a chain saw or machete.

Any pieces of branches or trunk turn into new trees. It is much better behaved in other areas though.

There is a nice yellow flowering one at the University of PR Mayaguez Tropical Agricultural Research Station (TARS). Sorry, no photo.

Cindy Adair

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I have a couple or three of the orange version on my wild acre in Hawaii -- the "mother" tree and a few offspring.  In the wet forest, they grow very vertically, not providing the spreading canopy shown in Matt in OC's photo above. Too many plants competing for sunlight.  Although they can be invasive, I appreciate the flowers and very infrequently need to remove new seedlings.  No plans to remove the 50-60 ft. mother tree.

Kim Cyr

Between the beach and the bays, Point Loma, San Diego, California USA
and on a 300 year-old lava flow, Pahoa, Hawaii, 1/4 mile from the 2018 flow
All characters  in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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Your tree is fine. New growth is vigorous, of good color; don't worry about a few older leaves yellowing.

SoCal and SoFla; zone varies by location.

'Home is where the heart suitcase is'...

_____

"If, as they say, there truly is no rest for the wicked, how can the Devil's workshop be filled with idle hands?"

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Ok Thanks everyone.  Only unanswered question is, why so few blooms this year?  With all the rains this past winter, all the heat and humidity we have had this summer, I expected to get TONS of those rich orange flowers. Instead I got less than 5 flower clusters.

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Matt, Yes I do regularly.  I actually installed fertigation about a year ago and have been using 23-13-8 in my entire garden. Almost everything looks great.

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On 9/11/2017, 8:40:45, Jesse said:

I have an African Tulip Tree that has been in the ground about 18 months.  Last year we had lots of beautiful blooms.  This year it is much bigger however we have had only a handful of mediocre blooms and it drops lots of leaves and small branches.  I would not be concerned with dropping leaves if it was in the winter however the weather has been great between 80 and low 90s mostly. In the third picture, the thin spot in the middle is noticeable. I have noticed that the glassy winged sharp shooter enjoys bouncing between this tree and some of my others if that matters.

Anybody have any ideas?

Is this normal?

TIA

20170910_165906.jpg

20170910_170111.jpg

20170910_165803.jpg

This is my observation here in San Diego over 18 years.  All African Tulip trees have different blooming cycles.  Some bloom during winter others during fall through winter or spring.  Most do go through a semi-deciduous period...it can be any time of the year.  My tree goes semi-dormant in August and Sept, while its still flowering.  During the first rains if grows like crazy!  

My tree bloomed almost 4 years without stopping (even though its semi-dormant period).  This was during the severe drought.  It actually stopped flowering last mid-December when we received the good rains.  

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That's very interesting.  I have only had it in the ground 18 months so its possible I haven't observed the full cycle yet. Thanks for your input.

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  • 1 month later...

Yes, it's a very interesting tree.  What's so nice about living in San Diego is you can see a tree in bloom any time of the year.  

As your tree gets larger and sets seed pods don't be surprised if there's  seedlings popping up all over your neighborhood.  

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