View Full Version : Ever heard of an African Dracken tree?
Gardener972
04-21-2009, 05:50 PM
I'm STUNNED!!! Driving home today (in Dallas) I saw a breathtaking light purple blooming tree with huge flowers resembling foxglove or snapdragons. I found the house and blindly knocked on their door and was told her elderly father was an arborist and got the tree as a young plant three years ago and it is now the size of a full grown tree!! They said it was an African Dracken tree but I can't find anything on the internet about it. They said in the springtime it puts out purple snow pea looking pods but the seed pods I saw were round. Any idea what this is?
BIGDAWG69
04-21-2009, 06:26 PM
It sounds like Paulownia tree - I have one in my front yard and it has the purple flowers on it now. They look similar to foxglove.
Lagniappe
04-21-2009, 08:00 PM
It sounds like Paulownia tree - I have one in my front yard and it has the purple flowers on it now. They look similar to foxglove.
That's the first thing I thought of. Mine went from tiny littl seedlings to monsters in three years. The roots are horrible, sprawling all over the ground.
Ueberwinden
04-21-2009, 08:05 PM
Is it possible to get a picture of the tree?
Michael
saltydad
04-21-2009, 11:26 PM
That's the first thing I thought of. Mine went from tiny littl seedlings to monsters in three years. The roots are horrible, sprawling all over the ground.
Some consider them "trash" trees, but I find them pretty (on someone else's lawn).:ha:
lorax
04-22-2009, 12:32 AM
It could also be a Rosewood (aka Jacaranda) - fast growers, big purple snapdragon-style flowers, snow-pea type seed pods to follow.
Were the flowers pale, delicate lilac purple, or deep, butch, artificial-grapey PURPLE?
IE: did they look like Paulownia (http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&um=1&ei=aKvuSYSsFoGUMpnO-BQ&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=paulownia+flower&spell=1) or Jacaranda (http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&um=1&sa=1&q=jacaranda+flower&btnG=Search+Images&aq=o&oq=)
saltydad
04-22-2009, 12:43 AM
Damn, I wish I could grow jacaranda here! Sigh.
lorax
04-22-2009, 08:20 AM
Who says you can't, Howard? They make lovely bonsai.
LilRaverBoi
04-22-2009, 11:49 AM
I just looked it up on Wikipedia and here's what I found (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulownia_tomentosa). Hope that helps ya! Looks like a pretty sweet tree! Do the blooms have a fragrance?
saltydad
04-22-2009, 02:13 PM
Who says you can't, Howard? They make lovely bonsai.
Never even thought of that; thanks Lorax!
Tog Tan
04-22-2009, 03:18 PM
Who says you can't, Howard? They make lovely bonsai.
Howard, here's something I learnt from a bonsai master long ago; if it can harden, bonsai it (plants only...:waving:)
island cassie
04-22-2009, 03:42 PM
I don't know paulownia but love jacaranda. In South Africa, the city of Pretoria is set down in a bowl, and all the streets are lined with jacaranda - a breathtaking sight when in flower as all the streets are littered with pale blue/mauve flowers. I have seen the occasional tree here but they are uncommon.
saltydad
04-22-2009, 03:49 PM
Howard, here's something I learnt from a bonsai master long ago; if it can harden, bonsai it (plants only...:waving:)
Gee Tog, I'm glad you clarified that; I had the wire and snips ready. :ha:
lorax
04-22-2009, 06:20 PM
I don't know paulownia but love jacaranda. In South Africa, the city of Pretoria is set down in a bowl, and all the streets are lined with jacaranda - a breathtaking sight when in flower as all the streets are littered with pale blue/mauve flowers. I have seen the occasional tree here but they are uncommon.
Uncommon? What a shame. In Quito we have entire boulevards lined with stately Jacaranda trees, and it's quite the sight when they're blooming. Ours are that forceful artificial grape purple. And the smell!
island cassie
04-22-2009, 06:36 PM
OK - in Pretoria in the 60's they were the old pale mauve varieties, but beautiful beyond telling!
Bananaman88
04-22-2009, 08:33 PM
I would guess Paulownia as well. I don't think Jacaranda would be hardy in Dallas. Paulownias are capable of temendous amounts of growth in one season, but like most fast-growing trees are very prone to breaking up in wind and ice storms.
LilRaverBoi
04-22-2009, 10:08 PM
And the smell!
So the DO have a fragrance? I was wondering. I'm not sure when those bloom, but I definitely LOVE spring in the midwest cause there are so many amazing blooming trees!
lorax
04-23-2009, 01:13 AM
The ones down here do; they're kind of spicy. The essence called "Brazilian Rosewood" is extracted from Jacaranda blossoms.
Bananaman88
04-23-2009, 06:07 AM
Paulownias are fragrant, too from what I remember. Paulownias have very large, fuzzy leaves. Some people call them elephant ear trees. I can't remember what the leaves of Jacaranda look like but maybe this will help you figure out which tree you saw.
lorax
04-23-2009, 08:32 AM
Jacaranda has mimosa-type leaves, very fine and feathery.
Bananaman88
04-23-2009, 03:27 PM
Oh yeah, I have a poster of flowering trees on my office wall and it has both of these. Duh! Oh well, I only look at my Bananas of the Big Island poster anyhow!
Tog Tan
04-23-2009, 10:21 PM
Duh! Oh well, I only look at my Bananas of the Big Island poster anyhow!
Hmmm.......:waving:
saltydad
04-23-2009, 10:33 PM
Hmmm.......:waving:
now now Tog.
Gardener972
04-24-2009, 01:46 AM
It is a paulownia tree from seeing the pictures on the web. You asked about smell? When I walked in their back yard, it smelled like mushrooms. They broke off a small branch for me to bring home and it make my kitchen smell like mushrooms! It's an odd smell. Beautiful tree but I would NOT own one other than in a pot.
Bananaman88
04-24-2009, 11:47 AM
Alright, Tog!
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