Caesalpinia cacalaco

[Peter]

Growing at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, CA.  There are actually several trees all growing together

 

[Silas_Sancona]

19 minutes ago, Peter said:

Growing at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, CA.  There are actually several trees all growing together

 

  That's a perfect specimen.. Will have to check to see if any around here have started flowering yet.  Red Birds are still in full boom / actually producing seed this year thanks to the wet / not as brutally hot summer.

[Silas_Sancona]

Right on the cusp of their season here.. Appears a couple that were badly damaged back in July were removed here at the Park.

[Peter]

Those look bigger and beefier than the ones I've seen here in Socal.  I wonder if it's  function of age or rather a more suitable climate?

[Silas_Sancona]

36 minutes ago, Peter said:

Those look bigger and beefier than the ones I've seen here in Socal.  I wonder if it's  function of age or rather a more suitable climate?

Tough to say,  age could be a factor.  Regular moisture, mostly during the summer, could be another.. The ones planted closer to the lake / planted between the Environmental Ed Center and the Police station there benefit from extra water ( those by the lake accessing regular moisture from nearby turf areas, + any runoff funneled from the main parking lot / nearby walk ways  )  Specimens planted between the Ed Center / Police station getting moisture from runoff off nearby parking lots / concrete paths, roofs.. Not sure if there are drip lines running to stuff planted there or not. 

Those randomly planted on the west / southwest side of a hill in the northeast section of the park ( Picture #5 ) are more of a mystery,  ..don't appear to get irrigated regularly ( though what drip lines might have been installed when these were first planted could've been chewed / dug up by Rabbits / etc critters over time >  The one pictured, and most others in that area,  look pretty happy compared to another little higher up on the same hill that has a good amount of die back from either drought ..or something else.. 

There's some others in a commercial landscape a coupe blocks away from the house i know are irrigated, but don't look quite as full as many at the park... and the park's location would be at least a degree or two cooler than closer to the house during any cool spells experienced locally during winter.

 

[Silas_Sancona]

Late Fall Morning walk at the park, just in time to catch the Cascalote there at peak bloom, on the first day of Meteorological Winter..  On yet another day w/ highs anticipated to reach the 80s.

















Might be the " down " season, but still plenty of color out there as the year winds down..



 

[Silas_Sancona]

A few additional " Fall Scenes " from around the park...

[Peter]

Great Cacalacos-hope mine can bloom as well here in Inland SoCal.

[Silas_Sancona]

6 hours ago, Peter said:

Great Cacalacos-hope mine can bloom as well here in Inland SoCal.

Deep soak once a month or so, late June- September and it should put on quite a show come fall.  They always flower here regardless, but can tell this year is one of the better cycles due to our wet summer. Saw some C. mexicana ..and some X " Sierra Sun " ( a cross between mexicana and palmeri ) were starting to flower at the Park / nearby neighborhood also.

[richtrav]

They grow like crazy here in South Texas and can survive with no extra water, but don’t tend to be as prolific in bloom. Last winter they froze back to about 1-3” wood but have already outgrown most of it. It is one of the few things in bloom between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Mountain States Nursery and Arid Zone Trees sell thornless forms that are especially nice if you can manage to snag one . They do best as giant shrubs here, high winds can push over standards but they’ll just keep growing as a large hedge. Haematoxylon brasiletto is another yellow blooming legume from western Mexico that makes a good ornamental here.

[Silas_Sancona]

3 hours ago, richtrav said:

They grow like crazy here in South Texas and can survive with no extra water, but don’t tend to be as prolific in bloom. Last winter they froze back to about 1-3” wood but have already outgrown most of it. It is one of the few things in bloom between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Mountain States Nursery and Arid Zone Trees sell thornless forms that are especially nice if you can manage to snag one . They do best as giant shrubs here, high winds can push over standards but they’ll just keep growing as a large hedge. Haematoxylon brasiletto is another yellow blooming legume from western Mexico that makes a good ornamental here.

Thornless / practically thornless form is probably  the most popular here..  Normal, thornier form is great where the thorns won't be an issue ( really aren't all that bad anyway.. Many other " thorny " shrubs / trees are more intimidating than these )

Agree, While still fairly rare here ( grow it myself though ) Haematoxylon brasiletto is def. another great large bush / small tree ( if trained properly ) Survived cool-ish San Jose, CA., and humid as heck Florida fine ..and does well here and in Tucson too. Flowers in cycles thru the year ( heavier in summer of course ) here.

[Silas_Sancona]

@richtrav, If you can find seed, Caesalpinia ( ** now Coulteria platyloba ** ) is another nice arid- adapted tree from the same region as Casacalote. Much larger leaves than any of the other Caesalpinia though. Bark on older specimens shares the " look " of some bark- shedding Pachycaul- type trees / Texas or Arizona Kidneywood. Foliage can also turn various shades of bright Orange, Scarlet, or Maroon before being shed in areas that are cooler, and/or bone dry in winter, ..or just before pushing new foliage ( ..Is what mine do here )

[richtrav]

Does it look something like this?

[Silas_Sancona]

3 hours ago, richtrav said:

Does it look something like this?

Yep, believe that's it.  Mine are smaller ( over grown 3 gal, and some 1 gals )