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Chorisia speciosa

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A tree I found in the wild.


Nice looking tree in the streets of Buenos Aires.
Actually worlds widest road: 22 lanes!
  


My plant and the place I bought it.

Author:  Auguste F.C.P. de Saint-Hilaire, 1828
Family:  MALVACEAE
Origin:  Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru
Soil:  Mix
Water:  Medium
Sun:  Medium
Thickness:  1,2 Meter
Height:  18 Meters
Flower:  Crème - Pink
Propagate:  Seeds
Names:  Silk Floss Tree, Pink Floss Silk Tree
Synonyms:  Might be: Ceiba speciosa,  Ravenna, 1998.
Bombax aculeatum Vell.
Chorisia speciosa var. minor, Chodat
Chorisia speciosa var. paraguariensis, Hassl.

This member of the Malvaceae (some might say: Bombacaceae) was described by Auguste François César Prouvençal de Saint-Hilaire in 1828. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Peru, growing on the foothills in well drained soil with lots of water in October to December and lots of sun. The trunk can get more than one meter in diameter, and it can reach for op to 18 meters. The flowers are from crème to red. It can only be reproduced by seeds. I got some in Buenos Aries 2003.

The genus name honours the botanical artist Ludwig  Choris,1795-1828. The species name means 'showy'.


From a street tree


Smooth bark in one place -


Spiny in another.


The pink type.


The crème coloured flower type.


150 centimetres in diameter.