pseudobombax ellipticum
(This plant comes in a 3.5 inch pot. All of our plants are grown under the same conditions, although not all the plants are the same. You will receive a similar plant in size and shape to the ones in the pictures. Our plants are hand-picked and carefully selected to bring you the best quality possible. Please allow us up to 3 business days to process your order. If you wish to receive your order on a specific date, or have special instructions, please add a note at the checkout . The plant is shipped in its pot to prevent any damage to the roots).
Pseudobombax ellipticum
Pseudobombax ellipticum, best known as Bombax ellipticum, is a fabulously attractive fast-growing deciduous tree with a smooth green caudiciform trunk that can reach 18(-20) m in height. Coveted for it's unique brush-like flowers in late winter, the leaves are an attraction as well. This is a fine shade tree as well as a show stopper bloomer suitable for bonsai treatment as well.
Trunk: Smooth, green marbled with gray, semi-succulent up to 1.3 m in diameter often bulging and specialized for water storage. Its branches are close to the base and the new twigs are bright green.
Cultivation and Propagation: This magnificent flowering tree is an excellent grower and extremely easy to take care. If planted in a tropical area with good soil and given plenty of water it can get really big but it can also make a great houseplants. If kept potted and trimmed the tree can be kept around 1 m in height.
A caudex will form (fat base) sometimes resembling a turtle shell. Psedobombax are grown in full to partial sun.
Watering: It like plenty of water. Never let it dry out completely or you'll have a dead plant. Then again, don't over water either or you'll have a rotten one. It is a deciduous tree and will loose its leaves in the winter. It should be kept a little dry at this time. In the spring, summer and early autumn you should increase the water.
Hardines: It is a tender tropical specie that should survive minimum temperatures down to -7° C for short periods of time (especially if dry) but it is best to protect it when the temperatures fall bellow 0° C. If you live in frost prone areas than you have to grow it in pots. Its very sensitive to hot summer sun while kept as a potted plant.
Pruning: After the flowers are gone, the leaves will sprout and if it is needed you can trim the tree. This plant like to grow as a tree and don't need any pruning, but you may cut every year the branches so the trunk base (caudex) would get larger.
Propagation: It is propagated by seeds and cuttings. Seeds are apable of germinating under partial shade but will eventually die without direct sunlight. The cuttings, 40 -100 cm in length and 2-5 cm in diameter, are easily rooted when planted in bags of sand and watered daily or when planted directly in the field.
Some of the information in this description has been found at desert-tropicals.com, llifle.com and cactus-art.biz
