I'm in love with this tree and desperately want to plant one. Has anyone in TX ever planted before? What are the positives and negatives for our area?
Thanks,
Kristi
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/2194/index.html
Golden Chain Tree
Laburnum doesn't do well for us, but Cassia fistula does. It's an ancient herb, too, used in many ways in tropical Asia, and now it's grown ornamentally in most tropical areas. I first saw it in Austin and was blown away. Still sort of hard to find the seed, but it's very fast. Here's a pic: http://www.mytho-fleurs.com/images/Fleurs_du_Vietnam/fleurs_du_Vietnam_2/Cassia_fistula.jpg
Rosemary's right, we're too south for the chain tree, there's a Golden Rain Tree that looks similar, It's hardy here. It's Koelreuteria p.
Here is the link for that one and you can see many different opinions, the one I love most is the one my daughter wrote (she is so sweet and charming, like her mother)
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/1778/index.html
On Apr 20, 2005, avocadogreen25 from houston, TX (Zone 9b) wrote:
This tree is beautiful! It has a very elegant shape and lovely leaves. The fall show is awesome--bright yellow flower spikes and then pinkish pods--just beautiful. As for the comments about invasiveness--all plants reproduce (it's nature). I can't imagine it being any more invasive than my oaks or my neighbor's maples. As for it being messy--hello, it's a tree. All trees lose leaves or drop seeds--if you don't want to rake, then don't plant a tree!
April, your daughter is totally right in her comment, I don't understand why as soon as a plant makes a little work for the gardener, it is called undesireable.
Josephine.
Oh I agree totally and I find her delivery amusing. I never complain much about trees, unless they belong to my neighbors! LOL. but it's worth knowing if a tree is messy in the event that, unlike me, you have a swimming pool. My daughter is sort of blunt and in your face, makes me smile and I have no idea where she got it. LOL.
Your daughter's got spunk, she should be in our movie.
Spunk and photogenic but none of my kids are very funny. Must have skipped a generation because my grandson is hilarious and I am not saying that just because he's my grandson!
well, i don't know how I stopped watching my own thread but I'm just now reading everyone's posts. I think it was before my vacation and no one had relied in a few days so I deleted it from my watched list.
Thansk for the info folks. I am in love with this tree and, if I can grow it, I'm going to order it and try. April, from your daughter's spunky response, it sure sounds possible! Gives me hope.
And Rosemary, thanks for the lovely link.