Brownea grandiceps
Family: Caesalpinioideae / Caesalpiniaceae
Rose of Venezuela, Scarlet Flame Bean
Origin: South America
small tree 10-20 ft. full sun, semi-shade, regular water,
red/crimson/vinous flowers, attracts butterflies, hummingbirds,
ultra tropical, min. temp. 55F
A slow-growing, small tree with very large heads of red flowers
which hang beneath the foliage. The leaflets are aristate, having an
elongated apex. Young leaves are mottled pale pink and greenish
white, turning pinkish brown and finally uniformly green as they
mature. The pods are velvety, and propagation is from seeds. Brownea
grandiceps is recognisable from its long pinnate leaves with 12-18
pairs of leaflets and the pendulous bunches of young leaves are pale
green, splashed and mottled in a reddish brown. The spotted
handkerchieves are impressive enough, but the inflorescences are
even more of a sight - dense, salmon-pink balls of 20 cm or more
across. |
