I have maybe 2 or three hundred seeds of a highly ornamental Cassia available. I do not know the botanical name for this species.I have looked through books, but there are just too many Cassia species for me to be certain.A friend in California got the seeds from the San Zoo about 25 yrs ago and sent them to me. I do know that this tree( about 20 ft. tall) has a beautiful shape, makes a light shade and blooms heavily in autumn with beautiful yellow flowers.If you are a butterfly enthusiast , sulphur butterflies are attracted to this cassia by the hundreds.Their caterpillars feed on the flower buds, but leave enough intact so that you can still appreciate the blooms.. I live in Central Fl. , zone 9. This plant is probably sufficiently hardy for only zones 9,10 and beyond.If you want a mature seed pod ,D Mail me and I can send it on to you for about $.80 worth of postage stamps.I will trade evenly for some Cotton morning glory seeds.I really like morning glories.I am currently growing about 20 different varieties, wild and cultivars.
San Diego Zoo Cassia Tree
i would dearly love some of these seeds...i live in casselberry fl same zone as you ...i just started saving seeds this year...so i dont have many to trade ....yet... i do have hyacyth bean, dune sunflower, butterfly bush(purple) if u r interested i will send stamp and postage asap...thanz Happy Gardening
I would love to try some of these seeds for a SSAE.
Bonnie
me to for postage
whats the proper name for cotton morning glory or can you post a link to a pick. curious about this one.
I'm happy to share, especially since your post helped me identify this incredibly vigorous species that I've grown since I happened upon it five or six years ago.
The seeds will actually germinate and start growing in water alone.
Cotton Morning Glory = Ipomoea cordatotriloba
http://www.southeasternflora.com/view_flora.asp?plantid=181
It's especially beautiful growing in a stand of Maximilian Sunflowers.
i bought a plant similar at farmers market she called it swamp morning glory it is like a small tree....in a pot the flowers look the same....
if it has tiny flowers then i have it too. its all along the back of my property and have plenty of seeds.
^^ It's a vine, not a tree or shrub.
^ I know the one you're talking about. They grow here, too. The flowers of Cotton Morning Glory are smallish (1.5-2" across) but not tiny. The flowers are rounded; I think the one you're referring to has some slight peaking. The literature says the best way to distinguish them is that Cotton Morning Glory is smooth, with no "pubescence" or fuzz. I think you'll find some fuzziness somewhere on the vine, petioles or leaves of the one you're thinking of.
Another interesting thing about CMG is that, once it's established, it is perennial.
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I just did a little more reading about it, and there is some disagreement about them. One authoritative web site (http://www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/ipott.htm) describes the differences between I. cordatotriloba and I. trichocarpa (in the last paragraph on the linked page), while one of DG's morning glory experts (RON_CONVOLVULACEAE) says that the second species is no longer recognized as separate and has been absorbed into the first one as a variant. (http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/53063)
Personally, I consider I. trichocarpa to be a weed with flowers so tiny that it's not ornamental, but I cultivate and enjoy the lovely flowers of I cordatotriloba/Cotton Morning Glory.
This message was edited Jan 28, 2011 11:13 AM
Here's another pic I found.
I also have Ipomoea cordatotriloba WHITE FORM
I'm pretty sure what you have is Cassia alata, Candle treebush .. goes from seed to bloom in about 6 months.
Very easy to grow from seed .. it's a hard coat seed so you'll want to cut a sliver off the side, just enough to break the coat and see the embryo inside then plant shallow and step back. Once they are about a foot high, start feeding the bajeebers out of them and they'll grow really fast.
X
X I love your trees. defiantly want one now
In Texas (zone 7) I've grown these as annuals -- called it candlebush. Only problem, I planted them too late (didn't know to nick the seed), it flowered, but did not set seed. I'd love a pod.
Mine got to be about 6 feet tall. I was also told to plant and forget -- so I did not feed and did not water consistently. It was still beautiful. Thinking of planting on west side of strawberry plants to keep them semi-shaded from the hot afternoon sun.
So are these seed 25 years old? : )
I'll d-mail. Thanks!
They are literally traffic stoppers .. I had people knocking on my door wanting to know what they were. I think its neat you can treat them as an annual .. they are suppose to be hardy in my zone, but none of the ones I put in the ground have ever come back.
Forgot to add that cassia seeds do have a long shelf life but I think 25 years might be pushing it.
This message was edited Jan 29, 2011 3:09 PM
I should have ask for one of these when we decided to trade for MG seeds. ;~) those are pretty.
Xeramtheum -- your picture is beautiful. Question: Do have them merely planted in the lawn? That would be too easy! Wonderfully easy! I'm getting all kinds of ideas.
Yep .. when they got about a foot tall I decanted them and put them in the ground .. I was really hoping they would come back .. but they didn't.
Hello from Thailand ;
This plant cassia alata is quite common here. It has several important medicinal properties, notably a very effective fungicide can be made from the leaves. It is not cold hardy but will grow back vigorously each year after dieback from frost. You can see more info at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senna_alata
BR
Peter G.
Thailand
www.gac-seeds.com
Hi All ;
I just did a little checking, and many seed suppliers have this seed cassia alata. Just type "cassia alata" into the search at www.seed-finder.com . It will show you every seed company that has this seed. Pretty neat.
BR
Peter G.
Thailand
www.gac-seeds.com