The yellow and orange color of deciduous trees are pure beauty for a forest. They convey many feelings and inspiration to many people. Today we are going to talk about a tree whose flowers are yellow and give it a color similar to the one we are looking for. It is green almost the rest of the year and it is during the flowering season that it rejuvenates the most. Its about araguaney His scientific name is Handroanthus chrysanthus and is known as a National Tree of Venezuela.
In this article we are going to show you the characteristics and curiosities of the araguaney so that you do not miss a single detail of this magical tree.
Key features
It is also known by the name of yellow guayacán because of the color of its flowers. It belongs naturally to the tropophilic forests. These are the jungles that have a plant formation full of deciduous tree forests. These trees are the ones that lose their foliage at a certain time of the year.
Among other names for which you can hear this tree are zapito, zaptillo, yellow oak, tajibo and cañahuate. It is a tree capable of reaching 35 meters in height and a diameter of 60 centimeters. It is a tree with deciduous leaves, so it loses them in the coldest season. It doesn’t have too many branches, but they are strong and upward. The bark is gray to dark brown in color and quite rough in texture.
The leaves are of the opposite type and have 5 leaflets. They are 5 to 25 centimeters long and 8 to 20 cm wide. The flowers are bell-like, but quite large. It has a light yellow color, which makes this tree very attractive. It has some red lines on the neck. Normally, you can find them forming groups of inflorescences on the branches and the end of the stem. They are usually between 5 and 12 centimeters long.
As for its fruits, they are cylindrical capsules and they open spontaneously when the time of maturity arrives. They are usually between 11 and 35 cm long but very narrow, only between 0,6 and 2 cm. Inside, it has some flattened and winged seeds. They are usually silver in color.
Distribution area and state of conservation
This tree grows naturally at a height of about 1.000 meters. In the weather we find annual rainfall of between 1500 and 3000 mm. Temperatures are generally moderately high with an average of 18 to 23 degrees. This makes the climate where you prefer to live is tropical or subtropical.
As for the soil, it prefers to be distributed in areas where the soil has a loamy texture with good drainage so as not to accumulate water in the roots. The pH is usually between 6 and 8,5.
It grows in the tropophilic forests and plains of Venezuela. It grows more abundantly in those areas where the climate is semi-arid intertropical.
When the time for flowering arrives, it is possible to see how it forms authentic carpets of yellow flowers. In the same way, when the fruits come out, the ornamental value of the araguaney grows enormously. Flowering takes place from February to April. It is the driest time in the natural habitat. The seeds take advantage of the first rains. Flowering is not the same everywhere you live. For example, the araguaney specimens from Ecuador bloom from October to December.
Regarding its conservation, its wood is considered one of the heaviest and hardest in the Neotropics. For this reason, it is interesting for the manufacture of car bodies, floors for industrial use, bedrooms, furniture, etc. This wood is resistant to salt water and termites. When a species is in the human sights, populations typically begin to decline dramatically.
It has been seen in urban arboriculture. It is perfect for attracting bees to pollinate your flowers and produce enough honey. It also serves to provide shade in public spaces.
Araguaney care
It must be said that this tree is not demanding at all in its care. However, you have to be very patient when it is cultivated, since its growth is usually quite slow. Even having all the favorable conditions such as a fertilized soil, fumigations so as not to be invaded by pests and diseases, abundant rains, perfect weather, etc. Growth is very slow.
It may take 5 to 6 years for it to bloom for the first time after planting. Once it finally blooms, you will have quite a beautifying show. It can be said that waiting has its reward. The bad thing about this tree is that, although very showy, it only blooms once a year. After flowering, it loses its leaves and new branches grow. It can be said that the tree is completely renewed.
The rest of the year the green leaves grow back until the flowering season comes again. It is really a marvel for the ornamentation of public spaces since it does not cause cracks either in the asphalt or anywhere in particular.
The ideal climate that the araguaney needs is the usual one in tropical climates. It is normal for the location to be in full sun. They must necessarily give it at least 6 hours of direct sunlight a day. We advise that there is some humidity in the environment for better development and health. We are talking about a tree that grows in tropical places and where rainfall is very abundant. The most normal thing is that we have to recreate these conditions there in the place where we plant it.
It can be planted in areas close to the coasts, because it resists saltpeter and winds. The cold is not a good ally, so we must protect it if there is any frost. As for the soil, we have already mentioned that it grows in well fertilized soil with good quantity of organic matter, loamy texture and with good drainage.
I hope these tips help you to enjoy the araguaney in your garden.
