Portia tree.

Auf einen Blick

Pflegestufe

Mittel

Pflanzenart

Evergreen tree

Licht

Full sun

Licht im Innenraum

Direkte Sonne

Gießen

Alle 3 bis 7 Tage

Endgröße

30 to 40 feet

Wachstum

Schnell

Winterhärte

USDA 10 bis 12

Blütezeit

Year round in tropical climates

Pflege

Keep this tree in a spot with plenty of sunshine to encourage healthy growth. Watch for yellowing leaves which can indicate overwatering or poor drainage. It is quite salt tolerant, so it handles coastal breezes like a champ.

Gießen

Water deeply whenever the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch.

Düngen

Apply a balanced fertilizer during the active growing season.

Schneiden

Trim back branches once a year to maintain a desired shape or size.

Umtopfen

Move to a larger container once the roots begin to circle the bottom.

Boden

Well draining sandy or loamy soil

Boden-pH

6.0 to 8.0

Temperatur

10 bis 35°C

Luftfeuchtigkeit

60 bis 90%

Sicherheit

Menschen

The plant contains compounds that can be irritating if ingested or handled excessively.

Kinder

Keep children away from the seed pods as they can be a choking hazard.

Kontaktallergene

The sap may cause mild skin irritation in sensitive individuals.

Allergene in der Luft

Pollen may trigger mild allergic reactions in sensitive people.

Essbarkeit

The plant is not considered edible and ingestion may cause gastrointestinal distress.

So erkennst du die Pflanze

• Heart shaped glossy green leaves
• Bright yellow cup shaped flowers
• Flowers age to deep purple
• Round woody seed capsules
• Smooth greyish brown bark

Höhe

5 bis 15m

Breite

3 bis 8m

Blätter

green, evergreen

Blüten

yellow, maroon, 5 bis 8cm

Früchte

brown, black, Year round

Häufige Probleme

• Aphids — Small insects that suck sap from new growth.
• Leaf spot — Fungal infection causing dark spots on foliage.

Standort und Pflege

Vermehrung

seed, cuttings

Pflanzzeit

Spring, Summer, Autumn

Pair with other salt tolerant coastal plants to create a resilient windbreak.

Gute Pflanzpartner

• Sea grape — They share similar coastal environmental requirements.
• Ipomoea pes-caprae — This groundcover helps retain moisture at the base of the tree.

Ähnliche Arten

• Hibiscus — They share the same family and similar flower structures.

Botanisches

Familie

Malvaceae

Gattung

Thespesia

Ordnung

Malvales

Klasse

Magnoliopsida

Ursprüngliche Heimat

Tropical regions of the Old World, including Africa, Asia, and the Pacific Islands.

Artenschutz

Not currently threatened, but it is often managed in coastal areas to prevent erosion.

It is a pioneer species that stabilizes coastal dunes and withstands salt spray.

Nutzen für Wildtiere

nectar source, shelter for coastal birds

Bestäuber

Bienen, Schmetterlinge

Verwendung

ornamental shade tree, coastal erosion control, woodworking, traditional medicine

Taxonomie abgeglichen mit GBIF.

Häufige Fragen

Does it need full sun?

Yes, it grows best in full sun.

Can it grow in sand?

It is highly tolerant of sandy, saline soils.

Woher der Name kommt

Thespesia comes from the Greek word for divine, while populnea refers to the resemblance of its leaves to those of the poplar tree.

Gut zu wissen

• It is often called the Portia tree.
• The flowers change color from yellow to deep red as they age.
• It thrives in salty coastal environments.
• The seeds are buoyant and spread by ocean currents.