COCHLOSPERMUM - Showiest of 
Spring Flowering Shrubs or Trees 
Of all the showy spring flowering shrubs 
that we grow in Florida the Cochlospermum 
is the most spectacular; its brilliant 4-inch 
yellow blossoms, not unlike Dainty Besg¢ 
roses, come in many flowered clusters that 
continue to open over a period of severat 
months, usually from January 10th to April 
15th here in Florida. ; 
The common name, if there is one, is a 
literal translation of the scientific name for 
the genus, Shellseed, from the Greek: koch- 
los, a shell and sperma, seed; which in turn 
arises from the fact the seed, about 44 inch 
across, resembles a tiny cockle shell. The 
ineptness of this name when used to refer to: 
a beautiful golden blossom, is perhaps res- 
ponsible for the persistence of the royal- 
sounding old generic name, Maximilanea. 
This was abandoned by botanist because of 
its confusing similarity to a genus of palms 
(Maximiliana), but if a rose by any other 
name would smell as sweet, Cochlospermum 
by the same token would continue to be the 
loveliest of garden ornaments. The more- 
appealing Indian common name for a re- 
lated species, Yellow Silk-Cotton, derives 
from the fact that, like its distant kin, the 
Red Silk-Cotton (Bombax malabaricum), the 
Cochlospermum has its seeds imbedded in 
a mass of silky fibers resembling kapok. 
Cochlospermum vitifolium 
The species most frequently seen in South 
Florida is the Mexican or Central American 
C. vitifolium (grape-leaved), a tree to 35 
feet which begins flowering at 2 feet. The 
plant is always stiff, rather sparsely branch- 
ed, and the stout branchlets usually carry 
the 5-7 lobed leaves only towards their tips. 
These leaves, 6-8 inches wide, bear a striking 
resemblance to those of the northern Syca- 
more Maple (Acer pseudoplatanus). 
Cochlospermum is leafless ordinarily from 
January to May, though the first blossoms 
have appeared before the foliage is gone. 
Stanley calls it “one of the most showy of 
Mexican plants ...Usually quite leafless when 
they flower, they are one great mass of 
showy-yellow blossoms.” The densely tom- 
entose, occasionally seed pods, the size and 
shape of a hen egg, form in May and are be- 
ginning to burst open as the new leaves 
come out in June. 
Other Species in Florida 
Two additional Cochlospermum are just 
beginning to make themselves known in Flor- 
ida. Most arresting of these is the double- 
flowered form of C. vitifolium. Apparently 
this developed in Puerto Rico where it is 
commoner than the single, but because it sets 
no seed and can be propagated only by cut- 
tings, its distribution thus far has been very 
limited, and it is not referred to in the hort- 
icultural literature of any other locality. It 
does occur rarely in Cuba where the coll- 
oquial name “Fool sticks’ refers to the 
grotesque appearance of the blooming tree 
with stiff branches sticking every direction 
with clusters of posies on the tips. The 
blossoms of the double-flowered form are 
larger than the single, often 5 inches or more 
across, and look very much like a spectac- 
ular, butter-yellow double Peony. 
The other Cochlospermum gaining favor 
in Florida, is the Indian species, C. gossyp- 
ium, which has flowers almost exactly like 
By E. C. Menninger 
C. vitifolium, except that there are more of 
them on the plants. In both species the pet- 
als are Buttercup Yellow 5/1, the anthers 
Orange Buff 507, the hundred or more stam- 
ens Apricot 609. (RHS color chart). The 
perceptible distinctions between the trees are: 
Bark: C. vit; red brown; in C. gossy.; ash 
gray. , 
Leaves: wither brown; wither brilliant orange. 
Stamens: in C.gossypium, trace of Scarlet 19 
at its base. 
Sepals: C. vit; yellow, like flower, standard 
and 2 loower sepals measuring 34 x 114”, 2 
side sepals 3/8 x 3/4”. In C. gossypium, 
reddish 3/4 x 5/16”, the 2 side sepals 34 x 
hy 
vais 
Peduncle: Yellow in first and Magenta 27 in 
second, 
Seed pod: Hen egg-shape; Goose egg-shaped. 
Seed: 14” across in C. vitifolium and 3/16” 
across in C. gossypium. 
No Pests Attack Them in Florida 
Several authorities report that the sepels 
of both species shed when the flower buds 
open but this characteristic has not been 
observed on trees in Florida. In India C. 
gossypium is characteristic of dry hilly 
country, occupying the hottest and stoniest 
slopes. In Florida both species grow readily 
in sandy or rocky soil without attention after 
and to each bushel of these mixed, add 142 
once established. No pests have appeared. 
Continued on Page 124 
Royal Poinciana - Delonix regia 
Famed Madagascar re-flowered Trees that should be planted in large yards. 
The John Innes Composts} 
In this country we occasionally hear of 
this compost and those not familiar with it 
would suppose that it is a commercial pro- 
duct of a firm of fertilizer manufactors by: 
this name. 
Of course, this is not the fact. The 
John Innes Horticultural Institute is an Eng- 
lish Experimental institute fianced thru thei 
gift of this man and two composts have been 
worked out there, that they claim, meets the 
needs of most plants. 
It is made up of compost and fertilizers 
and stress is laid on the condition of the com- 
post, that it be in the right physical condit- 
ion, free of harmful organisms and provide 
an adequate balanced food supply. It 
should be partially sterlized by heating at 180: 
degrees F for not more than 30 minutes, each 
part to be sterilized seperately and mixed 
afterwards. 
Of course any formula of this sort has a 
set amount for the fertilizers, loam, sand, 
humas, etc., but stress is placed on handling 
all the material in a clean way. 
One of the mixtures is intended for seed 
sowing and is made of: 
2 parts good loam, 
1 part peat moss, 
1 part course sand, 
and to each bushel of the three mixed, add 
142 ounces of superphosphate of lime (16% 
acid phosphate) and 1 ounce ground lime- 
stone or chalk. 
For potting or the No. 2 Compost, this 
differs from the No. 1 Compost (above) in 
that it is made up as follows: 
7 parts medium loam, 
3 parts good peat moss, 
2 parts course sand, 
ounces of hoof and horn meal; 1/8 ounce 
grist(13% nitrogen) 142 ounces superphos- 
phate of lime (16% acid phosphate), 34 ounce 
sulphate of potash (48% pure potash) and 1 
ounce ground lime stone. Cut the amount 
of sand if a light loam is used. 
Sift the commercial fertilizers thru a 1/16 
inch sieve before adding to the mixture and 
Continued on Page 128 
