A resident of Hawaii, I have held a deep love and appreciation of this tree for many years. It grows on Kauai, Oahu and Hawaii Island by...Read More my personal observation. The 23 year-old tree growing on my property here in Pahoa, Hawaii has flowered these past many years; but currently it is fruiting and has two large, round, green fruits measuring about four inches across. The seeds from which this tree were grown came from mature trees growing at Waimea Arboretum and Botanical Garden in 1997, so whatever the pollinator is that allowed mine to fruit must be present there as well.
The tree is deciduous; but there is no seasonal or day length involved with determination of the timing of leaf loss and new growth. Leaf loss and new growth occur within a very short time span: one month at most and my experience here has that occuring at any time between June and December (so far). New leaves are a striking mauve in color before changing over to pale green. A truly striking tree indeed!
This is a pretty looking tree from Asia, with low and spreading branches, with large, round and light green leaves, providing great shade...Read More, not to mention the pretty sight of seeing the light passing through the leaves, making it glow from below.
The flowers are the strangest things. Hanging from a pendant peduncle, these big flowers have 3 long, wavy, and extremely colorful petals - dark red with random pale yellow spots, and a cream stripe in the middle that gets broader as it aproaches the center. In the middle there are 3 white petals, joined together through their margins, forming a cupule. This cupule has openings between the petals, right on the base, where insects go in and out. This "entrance" is marked with yellow callousities. Inside the cupule, the petals are pretty: pale yellow with leopard-like, circular red spots. The stamens are reduced and form a dense mass around the green ovarium. I don´t know about the fruits.
This is a tree that you can just sit under its shadow and relax looking at the leaves. Alternatively, you can just stay there and be amazed at such wonderful flowers.
A resident of Hawaii, I have held a deep love and appreciation of this tree for many years. It grows on Kauai, Oahu and Hawaii Island by...Read More
This is a pretty looking tree from Asia, with low and spreading branches, with large, round and light green leaves, providing great shade...Read More