Schotia brachypetala

Plant Characteristics

Habit		tree
Height:	⇕	50 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 50.
Width:	⇔	15 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 15. to 25 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 25.
Lifespan:	⌛	perennial

Cultivation

Exposure:	☼	sun
Features:	✓	deciduous, edible, fruit
USDA Zones:		9 to 12
Flower features:	❀	red, pink

Scientific Names

Fabaceae >

Schotia >

brachypetala >

Schotia brachypetala or Weeping Schotia is a leguminous flowering tree in the family Fabaceae (bean family/pod-bearing family/legumes) and the sub-family Caesalpinioideae. It has many common names, including (but not limited to) the Parrot Tree, Drunken Parrot Tree, Weeping Boerbean, Huilboerboon, Tree Fuchsia, and African Walnut.

A medium to large, spreading tree, growing up to 20 metres, but more commonly from 5 to 10 metres depending on conditions. Canopy spread can vary between 5 to 15 metres. Trees grown in poor soil or in very dry conditions tend to be smaller (about 5 metres tall with a 5 metre canopy spread) and more sparsely foliaged. Trunk form varies from specimens with single trunks to low-branching specimens with multiple trunks. Leaves are compound, composed of four to eight pairs of leaflets, each with an entire, wavy margin attached to a stem. Bark is smooth and varies from grey to light brown from tree to tree. Flowers are numerous, a deep red, and filled with nectar. Flowers generally appear in Spring, although exact flowering times vary from tree to tree. The fruit is a small, hard, woody pod that splits on the tree releasing the seed contained inside.

Inland it is usually deciduous, especially where the winter season is very dry or there is risk of frost. The tree gets its new leaves in spring, usually early to mid-September. The new leaves are a very showy bright red as with many savanna trees. The red colour fades through bronze to dark green over a period of 7–10 days. The red flowers are produced straight after the new leaves during September and October and are very attractive to bees. They sometimes produce so much nectar that it drips out of the flowers.

Read about Schotia brachypetala in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Schotia brachypetala, Sond. A large shrub or small tree: lfts. 8-10, larger than in S. speciosa, ovate-oblong or obovate: panicles many-fld., axillary and terminal; calyx-tube conical, crimson; petals very small, linear, hidden by the calyx. S. Afr.— Cult. in S. Fla. and S. Calif. CH The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

Cultivation

Schotia is an easily grown tree, and is remarkably hardy in both poor soil and very dry conditions. Adverse conditions will affect the growth rate, with poor conditions considerably slowing the speed of growth. In good quality, well-drained soil with plenty of moisture the tree grows very quickly, easily reaching 5 metres within a few years. It is fairly widely cultivated outside its natural range in warm temperate and subtropical climates, particularly in Australia, where it is a common street tree, it has been planted also in Spain.

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References

• http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantqrs/schotiabrachy.htm
• Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963

External links

• w:Schotia brachypetala. Some of the material on this page may be from Wikipedia, under the Creative Commons license.
• Schotia brachypetala QR Code (Size 50, 100, 200, 500)