Chiranthodendron pentadactylon is a Mexican cloud forest tree that goes by a number of nicknames such as the "Devil's Hand Tree". x Chiranthofremontia lenzii is the hybrid of Chiranthodendron with the common California native bush/tree Fremontodendron. Both are extremely cool trees. I grow the hybrid because it can bloom a lot smaller. Mine is blooming right now in a 1 gallon pot. The SF Botanical garden has a much larger one, which is possibly in constant bloom. They also have at least a half dozen Chiranthodendron pentadacylon trees, which are also blooming (again I think maybe they bloom all year).
Here's an article from the SF Botanical Garden on the hybrid:
http://www.sfbotanicalgarden.org/garden/bloom_12_06.shtml
Both trees drop "hands" on the ground, in case one didn't look up to see them. The part that resembles a hand is the stamens of the flower:
Chiranthodendron also forms seed pods (the hybrid does not) which fall to the ground:
The pods split open to reveal seeds:
And here's what the hybrid x Chiranthofremontia lenzii looks like in bloom, flowers still on the "tree".
Notice that the flower above has considerable nectar in it. I read one site where the writer described the sugary liquid as "the nectar of the gods". It is indeed very tasty.
Here's an article from the SF Botanical Garden on the hybrid:
http://www.sfbotanicalgarden.org/garden/bloom_12_06.shtml
Both trees drop "hands" on the ground, in case one didn't look up to see them. The part that resembles a hand is the stamens of the flower:
Chiranthodendron also forms seed pods (the hybrid does not) which fall to the ground:
The pods split open to reveal seeds:
And here's what the hybrid x Chiranthofremontia lenzii looks like in bloom, flowers still on the "tree".
Notice that the flower above has considerable nectar in it. I read one site where the writer described the sugary liquid as "the nectar of the gods". It is indeed very tasty.
