Shopping trip to XOTX

[Gtlevine]

I'm curious how you fared with that Tabebuia roseo-alba. I have one down here in the Florida Keys and it has not flowered yet after 2-3 years in the ground, though it grows steadily if a bit slowly. I got it from Rob Bobson, head of the Tropical Flowering Tree Society, and he told me it is extraordinarily cold-sensitive, perhaps the most tropical of the cultivated Tabebuias. I'd be very interested to know how it has fared in SoCal.

I had one for several years in the ground and it was beautiful, well suited for inland so cal. Last year a strong Santa Ana wind snapped it and split it right down the center to the ground. The wood is brittle and could not stand up to the high winds so unfortunately it passed.

[mnorell]

I'm curious how you fared with that Tabebuia roseo-alba. I have one down here in the Florida Keys and it has not flowered yet after 2-3 years in the ground, though it grows steadily if a bit slowly. I got it from Rob Bobson, head of the Tropical Flowering Tree Society, and he told me it is extraordinarily cold-sensitive, perhaps the most tropical of the cultivated Tabebuias. I'd be very interested to know how it has fared in SoCal.

I had one for several years in the ground and it was beautiful, well suited for inland so cal. Last year a strong Santa Ana wind snapped it and split it right down the center to the ground. The wood is brittle and could not stand up to the high winds so unfortunately it passed.

Did it flower for you? Some of the more tropical Tabebuias are not that easy in California, and that's great to hear should it be something that will flower and stand up to the California climate/seasonal regime. I don't think there are many trees around that would give that result (dense cloud of white with pink blush), and it could have quite a future in horticulture. Of course wind can be mitigated so I don't know that it would be such a hindrance. Tropicos shows it occurring from latitude 5S to 21S, so it is a firmly tropical tree in origin. Good to know it has some temperature tolerance. I would think this would be a good performer in Southern Florida and all the way up to the warmer areas of Central Florida as well if it can take occasional hits to the freezing point. I wonder if anyone has tested it up there.

[LJG]

Gary's yard is not typical SoCal. Gary has to be a zone 11.

The one referenced above that I purchased does nothing and is very slow. Not impressive and it has been in the ground for at least 5 years now. Never close to flowering. I also believe it is very tropical because once the weather gets cool, it drops leaves and is very late in the season to start growing again. I have heard from a few that have grown this outside SoCal that the flowers do not last very long and the blooming length is shorter than other Tabs. Can not confirm this of course. I have since planted a white flowering Impetiginosa and after one year in the ground, it has grown larger than the Rosea-alba did in 5. I will be offering my Rosea-alba up to someone with a hotter growing area next Spring.

I would be curious what Peter says about this plant because he knows where a few others were planted.

[mnorell]

Gary's yard is not typical SoCal. Gary has to be a zone 11.

The one referenced above that I purchased does nothing and is very slow. Not impressive and it has been in the ground for at least 5 years now. Never close to flowering. I also believe it is very tropical because once the weather gets cool, it drops leaves and is very late in the season to start growing again. I have heard from a few that have grown this outside SoCal that the flowers do not last very long and the blooming length is shorter than other Tabs. Can not confirm this of course. I have since planted a white flowering Impetiginosa and after one year in the ground, it has grown larger than the Rosea-alba did in 5. I will be offering my Rosea-alba up to someone with a hotter growing area next Spring.

I would be curious what Peter says about this plant because he knows where a few others were planted.

That white T. impetiginosa sounds the way to go. They do splendidly in Southern California. Even here in our tropical island climate, T. roseo-alba refoliates very, very late. It may just be a characteristic of the species. But it is indeed a slow grower. Perhaps someday I will see some flowers on it... to my mind the most spectacular Tabebuia that does well in SoCal is T. ochracea. There is one at Tallac Knoll at the L.A. Arboretum (labeled as that species, anyway) that is just unbelievable in bloom. As I recall it blooms later than T. chrysotricha, in the April-May timeframe. Sadly nobody has ever brought it into cultivation there. But that one does produce seed...

[The Silent Seed]

I have never heard of this nursery - had to look it up - doesn't look like much going by his website, but man, these plants on here are amazing!

I wish he had a list I could peruse!

Beautiful, rare selections!

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

Here in Deerfield, we have several T. roseo-albas in the ground, with only one blooming so far. Slow for Tabs but because they are irrigated, they never really go deciduous, or only briefly. The climate here has never tested them so I suspect they might do well further north.

[LJG]

Gary's yard is not typical SoCal. Gary has to be a zone 11.

The one referenced above that I purchased does nothing and is very slow. Not impressive and it has been in the ground for at least 5 years now. Never close to flowering. I also believe it is very tropical because once the weather gets cool, it drops leaves and is very late in the season to start growing again. I have heard from a few that have grown this outside SoCal that the flowers do not last very long and the blooming length is shorter than other Tabs. Can not confirm this of course. I have since planted a white flowering Impetiginosa and after one year in the ground, it has grown larger than the Rosea-alba did in 5. I will be offering my Rosea-alba up to someone with a hotter growing area next Spring.

I would be curious what Peter says about this plant because he knows where a few others were planted.

That white T. impetiginosa sounds the way to go. They do splendidly in Southern California. Even here in our tropical island climate, T. roseo-alba refoliates very, very late. It may just be a characteristic of the species. But it is indeed a slow grower. Perhaps someday I will see some flowers on it... to my mind the most spectacular Tabebuia that does well in SoCal is T. ochracea. There is one at Tallac Knoll at the L.A. Arboretum (labeled as that species, anyway) that is just unbelievable in bloom. As I recall it blooms later than T. chrysotricha, in the April-May timeframe. Sadly nobody has ever brought it into cultivation there. But that one does produce seed...

Funny you mention Ochracea. I bought a plant from Peter called "Tababuia John Henderson Yellow". I thought as it was growing that it was really just another Chrysotricha. Peter swore it was not. The flower is a little larger than Chrysotricha, but other than that it sure looks the same. Doing research I came across Ochracea. They seem very similar. So hopefully what I have is really Ochracea.

[Peter]

I tried roseo-alba but it never grew well, and finally succumbed one spring. I think it's too finicky for Socal unless you are one of the few who have the perfect climate such as Gary. I'm also growing a white version of T. impetiginosa and it has grown well and flowered a little for me, although it is still small, so I think that's the way to go here.

[ASHCVS]

Here is my Meryta balansae (New Caledonia) fronting Ficus dammaropsis all sourced from Leon at XOTX Tropico many years ago. I wish I could grow F. pseudopalma!

[Cindy Adair]

I had the privilege of being in the presence of Andy’s stunning Meryta from his previous post only a few hours ago. 
 

He actually has two specimens and thus the chance of getting fruit. 
 

Since I have only one lonely Meryta and they are dioecious I will never get seed.