- Eye-catching when alive...
Pseudobombax ellipticum, with common names including Shaving brush tree, Dr Seuss tree, and Amapolla tree, is a species of plant in the subfamily Bombacoideae of the family Malvaceae.
It's native to southern Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Cuba. The tree that can reach 18 m (60 ft) in height, but Its branches are close to the base of the stem. It is a deciduous tree with succulent stems.
The flowers are fragrant and if peeled back they are quite sticky. They are big, fragrant, in exuberant pink color or totally white.
Each of the flowers can produce hundreds of tiny black seeds (.1mm) that germinate within approximately 30 days.
In Central America they are used to decorate houses and churches, but a highly intoxicating drink is made from the tree.
The tree is grown as an ornamental tree in Florida, Hawaii, and coastal Southern California.
It's found also at Flamengo's Park (Rio de Janeiro), introduced by the famous landscaper Burle Marx as part of his project.
It's where this photos were taken.
In Brazil the tree is named Embiruçu-mexicano or Embiruçu-de-flores-rosa-choque.
On Explore: December 2, 2022
- Eye-catching when alive...
Pseudobombax ellipticum, with common names including Shaving brush tree, Dr Seuss tree, and Amapolla tree, is a species of plant in the subfamily Bombacoideae of the family Malvaceae.
It's native to southern Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Cuba. The tree that can reach 18 m (60 ft) in height, but Its branches are close to the base of the stem. It is a deciduous tree with succulent stems.
The flowers are fragrant and if peeled back they are quite sticky. They are big, fragrant, in exuberant pink color or totally white.
Each of the flowers can produce hundreds of tiny black seeds (.1mm) that germinate within approximately 30 days.
In Central America they are used to decorate houses and churches, but a highly intoxicating drink is made from the tree.
The tree is grown as an ornamental tree in Florida, Hawaii, and coastal Southern California.
It's found also at Flamengo's Park (Rio de Janeiro), introduced by the famous landscaper Burle Marx as part of his project.
It's where this photos were taken.
In Brazil the tree is named Embiruçu-mexicano or Embiruçu-de-flores-rosa-choque.
On Explore: December 2, 2022