Fabulous "TOP 5" bloomer...

Few sights rival the Chorisia speciosa in full bloom.  Known as the Floss Silk, this spectacular tree is ranked among the most beautiful trees in the world ...in the "Top 5" with other beauty contest winners like:

• Royal Poinciana  (also available)
• Queen's Crape Myrtle  (also available)
• African Tulip Tree (also available)

Silk Floss blooms with abandon typically starting in October and November in Florida. In full bloom,

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there are almost no leaves

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Instead, you see a huge mass of color with tens of thousands of flowers

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Silk Floss is a zone 9-10 tree (possible warm zone 8) that does well in humid states but is even more happy in dry areas such as California.  It is known to be hardy in Phoenix, AZ, for example, down to 20°F

Native from Brazil to Argentina, it is rated to over 40 feet, but doesn't grow that tall in Florida ....perhaps 30 feet would be the common mature height

The blooms are actually highly variable, lily-like flowers in various combinations of white, pink, often with purple to red striations on the petals

The older the tree, the better the flower display

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The best two Chorisia here locally are growing on the same lot in Las Olas Isles. A third, younger tree is next door

After blooming, pear shaped fruits appear which have a silky floss on the seeds, hence the name

Floss Silk Tree is also well known for the large spikes protecting the trunk and limbs.  More decorative than frightening, spikes are very much more prominent when the tree is young