Pachira glabra

[Eric in Orlando]

Our Pachira glabra is flowering. This tree is native to eastern central Brazil. It is a member of the Malvaceae Family (mallows), formerly Bombacaceae before it was lumped into Malvaceae. The flowers open at night and wilt by afternoon.

This tree has had a rought history. It was planted in 2003 and got to about 15ft tall when Hurricane Charley dropped a live oak branch on it and it snapped off at the ground. It grew back and was back to about 20ft when last summer a storm dropped another limb and broke about the top 1/3rd off of it.

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

Eric,

There is much confusion over Pachira aquatica, P. insignis, P. glabra and Bombax glabra. What you show looks like what I have been calling P. aquatica. What are the differences?

Jerry

[Ken Johnson]

Eric, I am with Jerry, can you give us more info on the species? I will look it up but the members may be interested too?

[Eric in Orlando]

Bombax glabra and Pachira glabra are the same, B. glabra is a synonym.

Kit Larsen ID'ed it for me on another website, heres a quote;

"I believe it is Pachira glabra. P aquatica has purple stamen ends and the flower is not as long. Capsules will be larger than P aquatica too."

Heres a photo of P. aquatica from MOBOT;

http://mobot.mobot.org/cgi-bin/search_pick...achira+aquatica

[fastfeat]

Looking at Eric's pics, I think that the one commonly sold as "Money Plant", often braided in groups of 3-5 seedlings per pot in SoCal, is indeed P. aquatica. Leaves of P. aquatica tend to be smaller, with margins rolled under, typically with five leaflets.

Both species have hauntingly fragrant flowers.

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

I remain unconvinced. I believe that, IMHO, MOBOT is wrong. The pics and fruit that they show appear to me as P. glabra. The pics Eric shows I think are P aquatica. The leaf on glabra is smaller, usually held more upright or flatter than aquatica. The flower is white (hence glabra?). The fruit is smaller and the seeds are bigger (better to eat too) on the glabra.

Jerry

[Eric in Orlando]

Evidently there is much confusion with these species of Pachira. At least it is narrowed down to being 1 of 2 species!

Whichever it is, it is a nice tree. I have actually seen several good sized specimens planted around here recently, and not overgrown braided specimens that they sell as 'bonsai".

[Alan_Tampa]

I had heard that the Pachira nomenclature was made a mess by a mismatching or loss of notes regarding the flower color, that is each name may or may not have been assigned to the wrong plant. Heard this years ago and have wondered ever since.

Alan