Amherstia Nobilis

[Gbarce]

About 2 years in the ground and now around 15 feet tall

first flower ever

Buds are just opening

[ariscott]

Waaa...... So jealous!!!!!!!! Great going, Gene... now it is going to flower every year

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

It should flower every year now, each year a heavier bloom display. I hope it sets seed there.

[Cindy Adair]

Gorgeous!Great to know that they might bloom at about 15 feet tall. I have two small ones as you can see, but I'm patient and enjoying every new leaf.Please continue to send more photos!

[Peter]

Congratulations Gene! Look forward to many more photos in the future.

[Gbarce]

I'll post more photos as the flowers open.

Do these set seed readily or do I have to hand pollinate the flowers?

I was a bit puzzeled about this tree because I have seen flowering potted specimens of these in plant shows that were much smaller--maybe 4 feet tall only. This has displayed very fast growth but the flowers never came (untill now of course) it was always the marron velvet leaves.

[ariscott]

It will all depend whether they are marcotted or grown from seeds, Gene. Those little ones are probably marcotted from a flowering tree. The ones grown from seeds will take years to flower, but once they start, they will keep on giving more & more flowers every year.

Most of the trees they have here in Cairns never set seeds for some reason, whereas my friend's tree in Thailand seeds every year without any hand pollination. So, I guess it will all depend whether you have the pollinator there or whether there is a pollinator which takes its place. Good luck!!! I hope you get heaps of seeds.

Regards, Ari

[Eric in Orlando]

Very nice !!!!!!!!!!

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

The Amherstia at the Deerfield Beach Arboretum is about 8 feet tall and has bloomed the last three years. I will look for any buds now but it usually blooms in early April. It is in a sunny spot and is very bushy and dense as opposed to other "Handkerchief Trees" which are usually very open.

[Really full garden]

This is very high on my wish list.I have the perfect spot for one.I have never seen one growing in Guatemala.

[aussiearoids]

My little seedling was looking great .. a few new flushes have died off , and recent big blow broke off many branches from nearby Cananga odorata 'Ylang-ylang' that landed on it .. though still see some green leaves , fingers crossed .

[Bill Austin]

I just took some shots of my first flower today I can't believe it flowered already only in the ground four months , but it is from an air layer on a very old tree.

You can see I have to keep tying it up it grows so fast.

click on photo to enlarge

[Gbarce]

open flowers

[Gbarce]

close up

[ariscott]

I have to check mine this week.... to make sure it is doing well. Of course it will be YEARS before mine flowers...... Gorgeous!!!

Regards, Ari

[Gbarce]

I saw some damage on the petal

stupid caterpillar!

Seems to ba a lot of caterpillars lately

Most amherstias I saw being sold here were like bill's--still small but with flower. I guess those were grafted and mine was from seed.

[Gbarce]

last group of flowers in the infloresence opened over the week end.

pretty nice to see but I am sad that I have to wait till next year to see another display

[Gbarce]

so lets make the most of it

[Gbarce]

close up again

[Gbarce]

see you again next year

[ariscott]

sad... hey. Wouldn't it be better if it flowers all year around?? Hey, at least it did flower and now it will make you look forward to this time of the year.

Regards, Ari

[Dypsisdean]

I have trouble deciding whether I like the flowers or new foliage the best.

[ariscott]

You would think that, Dean.... but my friend's tree has so many flowers on it, you wouldn't believe!! The flowers are so special unlike any other. Although I do like the new foliage too. I think that is why these type of trees are so special... you get nice new foliage & beautiful flowers.

Reagrds, Ari

[Dypsisdean]

You would think that, Dean.... but my friend's tree has so many flowers on it, you wouldn't believe!! The flowers are so special unlike any other. Although I do like the new foliage too. I think that is why these type of trees are so special... you get nice new foliage & beautiful flowers.

Reagrds, Ari

Ari,

I have yet to see one in "full" bloom. Can you tell me when the flowers come? As a rule, do they come before, during, or after the flush of new leaves.

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

The one in the Arboretum here is blooming with mostly last year's ratty, winter damaged foliage. There are some new leaves coming too. It has bloomed three years straight in March or April. Maybe it blooms more often in the tropics.

[Gbarce]

Ari- do you have a photo of one with lots and lots of flowers?

I'd love to see how big these infloresnces get. I have read that they are like chandeliers.

[ariscott]

I will have to ask permission, not my photo... I will post, once I get permission...

I know when I went to Bogor a few years ago, the tree there was flowering and it was April. So, probably towards the end of the wet season? And the new growth usually happens during the wet...

Regards, Ari

[ariscott]

I got permission. These are all taken by Kukiat from his garden in Thailand. These trees has produced hundreds of seeds & seedlings..... I wish mine would look like this one day!!

Regards, Ari

[Gbarce]

Wow those are really awesome!

Puts a smile on my face.

How long are those infloresence? around 2 feet long?

Thanks for sharing these photos Ari

[Dypsisdean]

Thanks Ari,

You win - the flowers are the best part.

[Cindy Adair]

This photo is of a friend's tree in Puerto Rico. My husband has permission to try some airlayers on our friend's tree next week since you can't ever have too many Amherstias...

[Gbarce]

gorgeous color on those.

Does anyone know if there variation in the color of the flowers?

[ariscott]

I don't think so.... never heard of it.

Regards, Ari

[Cindy Adair]

These photos are of a tree grown from seed 15 years ago on a friend's farm in western Puerto Rico.See Machabuca for his web site. The owner gave me the only mature (brown) seed pod which contained one flat seed which I planted today! The photo shows an immature red /yellow seed pod. He wasn't aware it had ever made seeds and insisted that I take the seed since I spotted it and he will take the younger one(s). My husband started an airlayer in March, but could only reach one branch that day that didn't already have flowers. The two trees on our farm are only about 2 feet tall, but growing well and I will cherish this first seed from my friend's tree even more!

[ariscott]

It should come up straight away, Cindy... They don't have very long viability. Good luck!!! You can't have too many Amherstia

Regards, Ari

[Cindy Adair]

I agree that you can never have too many Amherstias! Glad to hear that fresh seed germinate well. I planted this one 5 days after it was picked off the tree (within hours of our arrival back in Virginia). Good thing it's legal to bring cleaned seeds from PR to Virginia!

[Cindy Adair]

I agree that you can never have too many Amherstias! Glad to hear that fresh seed germinate well. I planted this one 5 days after it was picked off the tree (within hours of our arrival back in Virginia). Good thing it's legal to bring cleaned seeds from PR to Virginia!

Not bad for only 3 weeks since picked off the tree! Hope it will grow up and flower like the mother tree even if it takes more than a decade....

[ariscott]

Very cool, Cindy. Good luck with the seedling

[Cindy Adair]

Very cool, Cindy. Good luck with the seedling

Thanks. I never get tired of seeing seedlings germinate!

[Pedro 65]

Very cool, Cindy. Good luck with the seedling

Thanks. I never get tired of seeing seedlings germinate!

Certainly a SPECTACULAR Tree, i was fortunate to see lots of these in the wild when i was transferred to Myanmar in 1991 92 in my work. Really miss the countryside and the people of Myanmar, a REAL step back in Time.