Colville's Glory Tree (Colvillea racemosa)

Product description

Colville’s Glory (named after Sir Charles Colville) is the only species in the Colvillea genus. It originates from the dry lowland tropics and subtropical regions of Madagascar, where it grows as a deciduous tree, reaching heights of up to 20 meters. The tree produces bright orange flowers on large inflorescences, each containing around 50 flowers. While the flowers themselves are striking, the bright orange buds resemble clusters of grapes, giving the tree an even more remarkable appearance. Because of this, Colville’s Glory is often grown as an ornamental tree in tropical regions. After flowering, it produces large woody pods filled with seeds, which closely resemble the pods produced by Delonix species.

Although the plant can tolerate light frost, it is best to grow it in a pot in colder regions, allowing it to be moved indoors during the winter. Keeping it in a pot combined with occasional light pruning will help it remain relatively small. Watering should be infrequent, allowing the soil to dry out slightly between waterings. For optimal growth, it should be placed in a sunny location and can tolerate some drought, especially when fully grown.

Sowing description: For proper germination, it is important to scarify the seeds. To achieve this, the seed coat can be lightly sanded, after which it can be soaked in lukewarm water for a period of 24-48 hours. If the seeds have not swollen due to water uptake, make sure to sand them a little bit more and soak them again. The seeds can then be sown in sowing mix, covered only with a small layer of soil at a temperature of around 20-25 degrees Celsius.