Gardening

gardening A flowering showstopper – the floss silk tree

Good day, gardeners! A tree that deserves mention every year at this time is the Ceiba speciosa (formerly known as Chorisia speciosa), commonly called the floss silk tree or silk floss.

This tree gives the most spectacular show in late October into the middle of November. It is native to the tropical and subtropical forests of South America, but it does very well in our climate, is non-invasive, and is a treat for the bees and pollinators.

The Ceiba is propagated from seed and while they are related to the naturalised silk cotton tree, it is a bit slower growing than the silk cotton and doesn’t get to the massive size of silk cotton trees. There is one planted on our property that is at around 40 feet in height and width, it is almost 50 years old. In some regions the tree will flower while there are leaves on the tree, but here in the Bahamas the leaves drop before the flowers emerge and then regrow after flowering.

The floss silk tree requires ample space. I would recommend placing them at least 50 feet from a building, or even twice that. They are not well suited to a small property due to their reaching habit similar to that of the silk cotton tree. If there is enough space on a property, then these trees are a surefire hit for showiness and specimen planting. The bright pink flowers can be seen from a great distance as the crown of the tree gets completely covered in flowers. One drawback of the tree is that it is messy when the leaves and flowers drop, but the flowers don’t last long on the ground as they tend to rot quickly, and if there is a natural area underneath the tree, the flowers can be left to add organic matter to the soil or lawn grass underneath. They create a pink carpet of fallen flowers. If these trees are planted near walkways or driveways it is recommended to clean the fallen leaves and fallen flowers regularly as they can be slippery when walked on or driven on. Bussin’ ya hip after slipping on them is never fun, trust me on that one. Despite the relative messiness of these trees, they are a showstopper and a standout when it comes to specimen flowering trees.

The care requirements are slim, and they tend to thrive in the mineral content that is available in our soils, generally, without any supplemental nutrients or any particular cultural requirements other than a watering now and again in the dry season when they are establishing. Once established, the only maintenance becomes a few days over several weeks to clean the debris. The debris, if collected, can be mixed into a compost heap or compost bin, or let to rot down (they give off no odour) to add organic material to the ground. Onto the edibles…. The season for growing a veggie garden is in full swing now that it is November and remember; even if you reside in an efficiency unit you can still grow some food! Container gardening is an efficient and relatively simple way to reap the rewards of the garden from your own windowsill or doorstep. Tomato, cucumber, eggplant, carrots, and on and on, herbs, onions, lettuce, kale, et al, can all be successfully grown in a container with minimal care requirements. Start with a potting mix designed for the size pots that you would like to use, for best results. When gardening in containers, adequate drainage, airspace, nutrient and water holding capacity all become that much more important. Mulch on top of the soil in containers will help to preserve existing moisture content and help to reduce the maintenance needs, i.e., time and effort. Keep your eyes open for a floss silk tree flowering, and if none are to be found, if you’ve got the space for one, go on out and get one in (to the ground, that is…). As always, I wish you happy gardening.

• Adam Boorman is the nursery manager at the Fox Hill Nursery. You can contact him with any questions you may have, or topics you would like to see discussed, at gardening242@gmail.com. at gardening242@gmail.com.