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Growing from Seed California Gardening Trees

Tree ID? Seed blew into my yard

Mark Furtak SoCal Sunset 10/USDA 8b

last year

last modified: last year

This small tree came up on its own in my yard last year so I transplanted it into a raised bed. I have no idea what it is but it sure is pretty. I give it lots of love and all purpose MiracleGro. I'm in zone 11 in the southern Cal high desert.

Featured Answer

Embothrium

last year

Putting them in pots can be expected to make them susceptible to cold temperatures at about 20 degrees F. above what would damage them growing in the ground. So if you want to keep them going, suspect low temperatures could be an issue in your location the potted ones should be protected during cold snaps. As in situated so the pots do not freeze.

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Comments (18)

floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
last year
No picture showing.
Mark Furtak SoCal Sunset 10/USDA 8b thanked floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
Mark Furtak SoCal Sunset 10/USDA 8b
Original Author
last year
Yeah I'm having trouble uploading the pic. I'll get it eventually
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Thanks for responding! I'm sure it blew over b/c the branches acted like a sail. It has a tall, dense canopy. The tree grows in heavy soil and, even though I THOUGHT I deep-watered it, maybe I didn't do it right :-( Yes, the branches mostly have narrow crotch angles. It was a free shade tree through our utility program so I'm not out the $, but it's the only thing that shades our lawn in the hot afternoon sun and I have two young kids. Yes it's not much shade, but it's about eight feet of shade and that's better than nothing during Sacramento mid-day summers. I have a Vitex that I LOVE, but we're on a tight budget so buying another tree isn't an option. We do have a pomegranate that's about 6 feet tall and needs to be moved--I guess DH will take out the pear and put the pomegranate in it's place.
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Hmm... I'm not sure about that. Do you mean spent flowers from this season? As far as I know, mulberries and sweetgums do not grow in my region. We have tons of oak trees (and tons of acorns) but I'm really not aware of what oak tree flowers would look like. I should mention that currently virtually nothing is "up" yet here - there are very tiny buds on trees, the hosta tips are just barely visible above ground, the grass is getting greener but not very green yet. There are definitely no spent flowers from THIS year yet, as there are no tree flowers at all yet. My planted eupatorium are not doing anything yet, but I wasn't sure if loose seeds would somehow sprout into something larger if they were above ground. I know... very ignorant. :-) But what is so mysterious is the fact that there are not yet flowers or leaves on any of our trees, so it can't be anything from this year.
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I'd like to see something between a distance shot and an extreme closeup. One that shows the leaves better, also some indication of the size of the flower heads would be desirable.
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Mark Furtak SoCal Sunset 10/USDA 8b
Original Author
last year
It was an Apple HEIC file. I changed it to a jpg and it uploaded ok
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
last year
Erythrostemon gilliesii
Mark Furtak SoCal Sunset 10/USDA 8b thanked floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
last year
It's not a listed invasive species in CA, but it has naturalized widely in SoCal.
Mark Furtak SoCal Sunset 10/USDA 8b thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
Violet Lorris
last year
Wow thats really bice did u find out what it is? amazing anything that nice grew in the high desert all the wind heat and then freezing cold it must be a tough plant!
Mark Furtak SoCal Sunset 10/USDA 8b thanked Violet Lorris
Mark Furtak SoCal Sunset 10/USDA 8b
Original Author
last year
floral says it's Erythrostemon gilliesii. I can't say it but I can grow it. I have three more that I transplanted into 1 gal pots. I'm interested in how they do over the winter
BillMN-z-2-3-4
last year
Well, if the OP is in zone 11, as his handle says, he shouldn't have to worry about anything colder than +40F. Right?
Embothrium
last year
I suspect Mark is referring to the Sunset Climate Zone system and not the USDA Hardiness Zones. And even with the latter scheme the temperature spread assigned to each zone is an average range of lows and not the coldest it can get.
BillMN-z-2-3-4
last year
That would make sense. And it would be pretty cold, even if just an average, which means it could even get colder that listed lows. I had no idea it would get that cold in that part of the country.

Climate Zone 11: Medium to High Desert of California and Southern Nevada

Growing season: early April to late Oct. Summers are sizzling, with 110 days above 90 degrees F/32 degrees C.

Balancing this is a 3 1/2-month winter, with 85 nights below freezing and lows from 11 degrees to 0 degrees F/-12 degrees to -18 degrees C. Scant rainfall comes in winter.

source: (secure site).
Mark Furtak SoCal Sunset 10/USDA 8b
Original Author
last year
Thanks everyone for your thoughts. Turns out I'm actually in Sunset 10 and USDA 8b. Last winter we had 6 or 7 days (not in a row) in the 20s.
Kimi Kujawa
last year
Caesalpinia gilliesii
Kimi Kujawa
last year
Caesalpinia gilliesii
Mexican Bird of Paradise
Yellow Desert Bird of Paradise
Kimi Kujawa
last year
Smells peppery? Seedpods dispersed by pods popping open which then curl into a spiral? If so, then I'm certain I got the ID correct (Caesalpinia gilliesii). Very cool plant! My kids love catching them as they throw their seeds (babies as they say) through the air. Your's looks beautiful!!
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
last year
last modified: last year
Erythrostemon gilliesii, as given above, is correct. It is the current accepted name. Caesalpinia gilliesii is an older synonym and some sources still use it. https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/379179/erythrostemon-gilliesii/details
Kimi Kujawa
last year
Oh great!! Didn't realize it was already identified, just saw posts discussing zones.....

Those grow pretty much everywhere you look here in Phoenix! Best of luck!!
Mark Furtak SoCal Sunset 10/USDA 8b
Original Author
last year
Thanks Kimi. Most desert friendly plants aren't this pretty.

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