Hymenosporum flavum

[fastfeat]

Also blooming profusely this year are sweetshade (Hymenosporum flavum) (Pittosporaceae). Usually seen as a narrow, often crooked tree to about 40'/13m and about half as wide, this Australian native does best in areas where spring is warm but not hot. Not best along the immediate coast, but can't take desert conditions at all. Hardy to at least 25F with age. Flowers extremely fragrant, smell almost exactly like Singapore White plumeria (Plumeria obtusa). Worth trying in Florida where soil isn't limestone.

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

Great color and a useful shape for the landscape.

[bahia]

This is a tree that I use quite a bit in landscaping here in the San Franisco Bay Area, and it is also quite common as a street tree in San Francisco. The tall narrow habit, (for the most part), is a useful characteristic that allows planting in gardens where you want some vertical interest or screening without blocking sunlight to the garden. I find that it is hardier than Ken states, as it survived the 1990 bad freeze here in the Bay Area with minimal damage. In my own garden, it merely defoliated at 24F, and lost no branches. In our local conditions, it seems to do best with sandy loam soils or at mimimum good drainage for clay, and will often bloom out of season here. In Berkeley/Albany/Oakland/Alameda where I have used it, it can bloom at any time of year, even dead of winter, and often seems to have 3 peak bloom seasons. I love the fragrance, it reminds me mostly of citrus in bloom, and as typical, the scent carries best with warmer weather, but is also colorful in bloom so attractive even if you don't detect the fragrance.

[Bennz]

These things grow extremely fast in subtropical rainforest habitat in Australia. My father-in-law had one come up in his banana plantation, it grew at least 3m+ tall in its first year.

They are also very common in my area, so a very versatile tree for a variety of temperate to subtropical conditions. I like them!

[ThunderSRQ]

Ken,

Please add that one to my "seeds list"... (cool tree!)

Tim

[DoomsDave]

Also called the "Sweetshade" tree

Rocks house, spouse, louse or lice on same, oh yeah

Right up the road from my place

gotta scream

[Brian Bruning]

I often have seed or seedlings to trade. Let me know at BBruning@hotmail.com

[DoomsDave]

They do have their shortcomings. Sometimes the fruit can be a nuisance, and the blossom fall can be prodigious.

But, very nice, nevertheless.

[Justin]

I have a couple, and they are doing quite well. I put a couple right near the patio outside my kitchen and bedroom - smells very nice in the evening. And it's evergreen, which is also good.

[MattyB]

I'll have to keep an eye out for these around. I don't ever remember seeing them before.

[Justin]

I could be mistaken, but I think they line Fairfax Blvd in Los Angeles, roughly between Venice and Pico.

[Kim]

  On 5/16/2011 at 10:17 PM, MattyB said:

I'll have to keep an eye out for these around. I don't ever remember seeing them before.

There are a number of them planted behind the Vons on Midway, near the Sports Arena, blooming heavily right now. I've kind of kept my eye on them to see how big they get. Described as a narrow tree, and they are, but still become quite substantial in size as they get older.

[Palms1984]

  On 5/8/2011 at 7:38 PM, bahia said:

This is a tree that I use quite a bit in landscaping here in the San Franisco Bay Area, and it is also quite common as a street tree in San Francisco. The tall narrow habit, (for the most part), is a useful characteristic that allows planting in gardens where you want some vertical interest or screening without blocking sunlight to the garden. I find that it is hardier than Ken states, as it survived the 1990 bad freeze here in the Bay Area with minimal damage. In my own garden, it merely defoliated at 24F, and lost no branches. In our local conditions, it seems to do best with sandy loam soils or at mimimum good drainage for clay, and will often bloom out of season here. In Berkeley/Albany/Oakland/Alameda where I have used it, it can bloom at any time of year, even dead of winter, and often seems to have 3 peak bloom seasons. I love the fragrance, it reminds me mostly of citrus in bloom, and as typical, the scent carries best with warmer weather, but is also colorful in bloom so attractive even if you don't detect the fragrance.

I've seen large trees by the San Leandro Marina nearly 60ft/19m tall. They seem to look fuller and grow taller in the Bay Area than in San Diego. I think it's the very fertile soil and higher rainfall of the Bay Area. When I lived in Fremont I saw many large trees in The Mission Jose District (where I lived).

[Tyrone]

Quite a common landscape tree around here. One of my favourites. You can get a dwarf variety that only gets 1m tall called Gold Nugget .

Best regards

Tyrone