Golden Penda

[aussiearoids]

Xanthostemon chrysanthus is in flower now around this area . Fantastic tree , can grow to 20 m but usually only half that in normal garden conditions .

It is native from Townsville right up to the tip of Cape York . Fairly hardy as a visiting gardener from down near Brisbane told me how he has used them as a hedge ! Yes they respond very well to regular pruning and can be kept very small if so desired .

[aussiearoids]

This tree is right at the entrance to the nursery .

[Eric in Orlando]

These are fantastic trees. This and a few other species are just starting to be grown by a few in FL. I planted a small X. chrysanthus this summer and it quickly has gone from 3ft to 6ft.

[Zac in NC]

Thanks for the picture. Pretty flowers and a pretty unusual color too.

Zac

[Walter John]

I have a variegated version of the golden penda growing in the jungle. Who needs flowers when you have these leaves. By the way Michael, that's a great shot of the flower, well done.

Here she is.

[paulgila]

what a beautiful tree!will they grow in socal?

maybe a small one could fit on a plane...

[aussiearoids]

Wal , fantastic foliage on your variegated Golden Penda , does it have a cultivar name ?

Very happy with my old Canon , it has a very handy macro button , and a great auto focus . I found with my bad eyesight many pix were out of focus on old SLR , best to leave focus to technology   .

[bahia]

I don't know whether Golden Penda would have survived this latest bout of cold in southern California.  I tried growing several from seed here in the San Francisco Bay Area, where it grew slowly to about 12 inches in height after two winters, but was never a happy grower.  I think they need more summer heat, and seem to do much better in south Florida, where they are much faster growing.  They will tolerate a San Francisco winter with normal temps down to just above freezing, but don't seem to appreciate our cool weather year round.  My plants didn't die, but I tossed them as they just didn't grow under the conditions I could give them.  I had similar experiences with Tabebuia argentea; refused to outright die, but didn't really grow much either.

[Fouquieria]

Mine hasn't done squat.  It was a nice, healthy looking 16-inch seedling when I planted it three years ago.  Over time it has become chlorotic and is a sickly looking 20-inch seedling.  This is it's third winter and it has gone through the winters fine.

My Buckinghamia (Ivory Curl Tree) on the other hand has done quite well.  About a year and a half ago I planted a six-inch seedling out.  Last summer it had a growth spurt of about a foot.  The leaves redden in the winter cold, but otherwise I have a nice looking 18-inch seedling presently.

The Buckinghamia does much better here than the Xanthostemon.

-Ron-