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DAIS COTINIFOLIA 
NEW & RARE 
Here in Southern California we 
are always glad to welcome new- 
comers to our company of flower- 
ing trees. Such a subject is Dais 
cotinitolia from South Africa. A 
good many years ago there used 
to be a lone specimen of this 
beautiful small tree in Elysian Park. 
As it stood precariously on a 
steep bank just above the road, we 
were always apprenhensive that a 
heavy rainstorm would carry the 
bank and tree away, and our fears 
unfortunately proved well-founded, 
for that is just what happened. 
For 20 years we tried unsuccess- 
fully to procure seed from South 
Africa, where it is said to be 
scarce. At last after all that time 
we obtained seed and raised the 
young trees. In its native country 
it is described as being deciduous, 
but it has lost few leaves with us 
in winter, is hardy so far as cold 
is concerned (that is to several 
degrees of frost), and it blooms 
at two years of age, the flowers 
being a soft pink nearly two inches 
across, rather resembling the flow- 
ers of-a large clover. 
Dais should be planted in full 
sun, though a little shade would 
not be injurious. Our plants in 
containers have reached a height 
of three to four feet in two years; 
in the ground the rate of growth 
naturally would be faster. We are 
of the opinion the ultimate height 
of this tree is about 25 feet. 
To those people who are inter- 
ested in the new and unusual, we 
confidently recommend this at- 
tractive little tree, Dais cotinifolia, 
which seems to be quite happy 
with us and is a valuable addition 
to our gardens. (At $7.50) 
JULES 
a 
1951 iw meee oe 
PLANT OF THE MONTH 
Nionkey - Hand Tree 
The fascinating Monkey-Hand tree of Guate- 
mala is still an uncommon sight in Southern Cali- 
fornia although it is ideally suited to this area where 
it grows with vigor and rapidity. 
This member of the Sterculia family, Chiran- 
thodendron platanoides to be tongue-twistingly 
correct, derives its common name, Monkey-Hand, 
from the fantastic blossoms which are to be found 
just underneath the outer foliage during the warm 
months of the year. Shaped like a large heavily 
waxed tulip of deep brick red, the Chiranthoden- 
dron flower has a startling stamen protruding sev- 
eral inches beyond the cup in the shape of a long, 
slender, realistic claw brushed with bright yellow 
pollen. 
As cut flowers these keep well and form a most 
unusual and arresting floral arrangement. The cup- 
shaped flowers with the extraordinary ‘hands’ can 
be seen in our store on the driveway throughout 
the blooming period. 
It is recorded that a single specimen of the 
weird Monkey-Hand tree was venerated by ancient 
Central Americans as being awe-inspiringly unique, 
although later an entire grove was discovered on 
the side of a Guatemalan volcano. 
Of distinctly tropical aspect, Chiranthodendron 
is an evergreen, large plane-leafed tree which, in 
good soil with plent of water, establishes itself 
(Continued on inside page) . 
