Brazilian Rain Trees

This is the tree I mentioned. I suspect it is about 20 years from a cutting. I bought it from Jim Moody before he died, it was in a 3 gallon nursery pot and I think I paid $65 this was over 10 years ago. I am showing some flower buds that are out of focus, sorry, I need a different lens. A detail of the trunk and the entire tree.

My BRT's flower like crazy, one has probably had 30+ flowers in the last month... I've yet to get a seed pod off them yet . These really are my favorite trees though... they make up for not having an ideal climate for Tridents (though I am trying to keep hope alive for the tridents that I do have).

This is the second blooming cycle for this tree this spring.

See your season starts much earlier in florida and is much longer than here in ohio. Sometimes i think id like to live in florida because i love tropicals but then losing all of my temperate trees that i love just as much reminds me why i remain. Winters are getting warmer amd warmer here though so its not been bad and all my tropicals keep the withdraw to a minimum! Lol. Ill try to post a pick of the rain tree i got from wigerts. Its not much to look at now but i hope with a few years itll be great. Does anyone know if they grow as fast as all other tropicals? Also i want to let it grow and get alot bigger but i dont know if i should just let it grow totally untouched for several years or if i need to prune it a little to keep back buds growing. Its putting on growth but i feel as if its in the wrong places. I want it to get taller but all the growth is going out horizontally due to them pruning the top to get it into the box. Can anyone shed some light? It may help more once i get a picture up. I may also do a video of it and put it on my youtube channel so people can see it better.

I'm no expert on anything bonsai, but I can tell you what I've seen my 2 BRT's do. I have a smaller one that I'm training in a flat top type style, it seems to be fitting the style pretty well. I'm actually looking for some vertical growth now, but not getting much. the larger one is more traditional... I'm getting crazy growth up top (horizontal and vertical), and much less at the bottom (which is where I need it). I need this one to get wider and the flat top to get a little taller... both are doing the opposite . They do respond well to heavy pruning, and I'm sure you'll find that you'll get some growth up top if you let it go. For growth speed... mine grow much faster than anything else I have.

The only trees I have that seems to be able to outgrow my BRT are the willows. Now thats saying something.

I think BRT tends to be apically dominant but giving the top a good chop after a nice extension of new growth will re-direct energy downwards nicely.

-Jay

This photo is from 5/21/2012 on my Brazilian Raintree from Jim Moody. This is the second flush of bloom this year. The first was more impressive with the tree covered with white. This time it is one bloom here and there. I did look at my other two Raintrees and I don't think either has bloomed, I think both were purchased from Alan Carver after his grandfathers death.

I have hundreds of flowers on mine right now with some that are starting to form seed pods, also most of my airlayers, once there removed from the mother tree, flower right away. I will try to get pics later

BILLY,, I really like that tree !! i have read about them and think i would like to have one.. i don,t know if it would like west va. though.. nice tree that you have there,,the trunks don,t grow much in 20 years huh... take care john

moyogijohn wrote:BILLY,, I really like that tree !! i have read about them and think i would like to have one.. i don,t know if it would like west va. though.. nice tree that you have there,,the trunks don,t grow much in 20 years huh... take care john

They are very tropical, mine spends the winter in a greenhouse. I drove thought West Virginia on 5/10 and 5/12 on I-77 mostly and then US 35.

I was wondering if anyone here that has Brazilizn Rain Trees blooming and producing seeds would be willing to give or sell me some seeds and ship them to me? I dont mind paying for them and i would pay shipping and handling also. Whatever the costs may be. Would be greatfull!

Thanks, Jake

Mine have started to set seed in the past, but I usually prune it off. I will try to let some of the current flowering go and see what happens. I would be happy to send you some seed if anything develops.

Heres a picture of my Brazilian Rain Tree from Wigerts Bonsai for anyone that was interested in seeing it.