Product Review

TROPICA® - Yellow African Tulip Tree (Spathodea campanulata aurea) - 25 Seeds

Worth knowing: This impressive, evergreen ornamental tree with its large, yellow to orange-yellow flowers is even more conspicuous than the red-flowering tulip tree. Apart from the flower colour it only differs in height. Most specimens do grow smaller. Practically, the tree is flowering throughout the year. Being frost-hardy and developing large, pinnate and deeply green leaves, this plant can be perfectly cultivated as a tub plant within our regions. The tree can be limited to a height of 1,50 to 2 metres by prunning.

Origin: Tropical Africa and today also on Madeira.

Propagation: The light seeds do not need any preparation and can be sprinkled directly on moist cultivation soil. Cover seeds thinly with soil and keep them evenly moist and warm (20° to 22°C). Germination often already happens within 2 to 3 weeks.

Place / Light: Bright to full sunny places are ideal. An outdoor position is also possible as long as temperatures do not drop below 5°C - in this case a position sheltered from wind is best.

Care: The tulip tree is planted into permeable soil, rich in nutrients. Young leaves are bronze-coloured gradually changing into shining deep green. Water a lot, do, however, avoid water logging. Provide the plant with tub plant fertilizer fortnightly from April until October. First flowering should set in after 3-4 years. Flowers are 7-13 cm long and yellow to yellow-orange in colour.

Winter period: Do in any case place the tulip tree in a location that is free from frost. Since the main flowering period is from January to March, you should choose a bright and warm location with temperatures between 16° and 20°C during the winter period. Do not move the plant in close proximity of a radiator

Bonsai Suitability: No