Erblichia odorata

[Hillizard]

On 4/17/2016, 10:17:28, Josh-O said:

Bump,

any updated info on this tree growing here in California or similar like climates? 

Here's a picture of my spindly Erblichia that I've had now for over two years here in interior NorCal. I have it outside where it only gets morning sun during the warmer months. I overwinter it in my sunroom. Not sure where it might be successful in the ground in California....?

I'm hoping for flowers in another year or so. I lucked out on eBay and got the plant for ~$35 when the grower couldn't ship it outside the U.S. to the overseas person who outbid us all. 

[Fouquieria]

I don't go out much any more.  Hardly ever go down the hillside.  The yard looks awful.  Some things have died and some things have taken over.  The Erblichia odorata next to the house is now at least 12 feet tall and maybe 9 feet wide.  It's not real bushy but it's not rangy either.  Actually it has a rather attractive shape.  It has not bloomed for me yet but it is evergreen and seems quite comfortable where it's at.  It gets summer irrigation about once a month and then I stop around October and don't start irrigating again until April.  Seems quite healthy and vigorous so I don't think it's cold intolerant like some imply.  I'll see if I can get a photo of it and post.  It's kind of surrounded by other stuff.

[Tracy]

2 hours ago, Fouquieria said:

Seems quite healthy and vigorous so I don't think it's cold intolerant like some imply.  I'll see if I can get a photo of it and post.  It's kind of surrounded by other stuff.

Sounds like you tapped into the right conditions for it to prosper here in Southern California.  Looking forward to seeing the photo of your tree!  With that color flower, I have to wonder if it attracts humming birds like the yellow, orange and red Aloe flowers?

[Cindy Adair]

Not a good photo but best I can offer today.  
 

Always interesting to me to read what I and others have written about a plant new to cultivation here. 
 

Life intervened and I doubt I have pruned a single branch of my tree. A vanilla vine has traveled across several other plans and climbed up.
 

So I would still like a reset meaning another tree to see if I could make it more shapely with flowers much closer to eye level. 
 

Or at least some spares so I could prune this one quite a bit without worrying it might die from my efforts. 

I could even try making a standard. 
 

I will try to get any seeds that I see and go from there! 
 

The flowers are pretty seen from my second floor living room!

 

[redbeard917]

I don't know how plant breeders create dwarfs, but this seems like a good candidate for it. Or as Cindy alluded, pollarding.