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| JERUSALEM THORN TREE SEEMS ALWAYS TO BE IN BLOOM | |
| Published: August 16, 1997 | |
Small, pretty tree grown often in the Deep SouthQ:There is a small tree in front of the Chance Building on Dulles Drive that is blooming now with yellow flowers and has fern-like foliage. I was told that it is called Jerusalem Thorn. Does it have another name? Can you give me information on growing it and where to buy one.A:Jerusalem Thorn, also called Parkinsonia (P. aculeata), is a very attractive, small deciduous tree which is a native of the tropics. It was, and still is, frequently grown in gardens of the Deep South where it reaches an average height is 10-15 feet. The thin wiry branches bear stout 1-inch thorns and tiny leaves that have a fern-like appearance. The branches remain a lime-green color year around, giving an evergreen appearance even after the leaves drop. The small, fragrant lemon-yellow flowers have a long period of bloom, beginning in late spring, then intermittently until October in patterns related to dry and rainy weather.Jerusalem Thorn is recommended for small gardens, especially for hot, dry sites, and for sites near a wall where it will receive some protection from severe freezes. Free from insects and diseases, it grows best in full sun, in fertile, well-drained soil. It is considered to be a short-lived tree due to its inability to tolerate poor drainage. The fast-growing tree may be propagated from seeds, suckers and cuttings. The seed pods are 3-4 inches long and contain up to eight seeds. The young plant should be staked for the first year or so to promote upright shape, and should continue to be pruned to shape in early spring. Container-grown plants are occasionally available at nurseries. There is a lovely specimen growing at the entry to The Gardens Nursery on E. Broussard Road. More information on Abelmoschus manihotQ:Someone wrote to you recently asking about Abelmoschus manihot and where it might be available. I remembered an article on these plants in "Southern Living" magazine (June, 1996), and thought your reader might like to refer to it.A:Thanks for referring us to the excellent article. "Southern Living" often publishes a list of sources for particular plants, but not in this case. However, it mentions that the plants reseed and are grown readily from seed sown in pots or in the ground, blooming 100 days after sowing. Further, it mentions that it is available as a container-plant from some mail order nurseries.I think that the reader who wrote the letter already had a mail order source and was asking whether the plant would grow well in this area and whether there was a local source. The "Southern Living" article confirms that Abelmoschus, a relative of okra, thrives on heat, in dry soil and in full sun, blooming all summer with flowers that look like hibiscus. |