Friday, April 30, 2010

Chorisa speciosa - Silk Floss Tree

Chorisa speciosa: Chorisa named for Ludwig Choris, a botanical artist 1795-1828; speciosa, meaning 'showy'.

The common Spanish name for this tree translates as 'drunken tree' for the trunk's resemblance to a wine barrel.

Moderately fast growing mid-sized tree, common in the Southern California landscape.

Palmately compound leaves with 3-5" leaflets.

Deep pink to burgundy large (up to 8" x 5") flowers in fall. Flowers resembled a narrow-petaled Hibiscus.

Fruit is a woody pear-shaped capsule 6-12" in spring

Tapered greenish trunk with thorns is enlarged and heavy at the base.

1 comment:

  1. It's actually choris*i*a, but it's been moved from Chorisia to Ceiba:

    Love your blog, btw. I'm just being a stickler for the details :)