Jan Smith, Flickr Contributor
Family
Malpighiaceae
Botanical Name
LOPHANTHERA lactescens
Plant Common Name
Golden Chain Tree
General Description
Travel the rivers and forests across Brazil's Amazon Basin, and you'll encounter the showy golden chain tree. This semi-deciduous flowering tree is becoming increasingly more rare as its habitat is destroyed. And it is rarely used in tropical gardens because it transplants poorly its seed is viable for only a short time. Somewhat fast-growing, it attains an an upright, slightly rounded habit. The thin, pale gray to tan bark is warty and exudes bitter milky sap if damaged.
The glossy, emerald green leaves are large, plump and oval-shaped with wide, obtuse tips. During the mid- to late summer rainy season, branch tips produce long, pendulous flower clusters (racemes). Each contains 300 to 500 tiny yellow flowers that are rich in nectar and lure bees for pollination. Flowers first open up at the top of the raceme and progress down the cluster. Small, pea-shaped, gray pods follow which contain single black seeds and ripens by spring. Cooler, drier winter weather causes partial defoliation.
Golden chain tree is surprisingly easy to grow even though the seed doesn't remain viable for long and transplanting is rarely successful. Sow fresh seed where the tree is to permanently grow and choose a site with full sun to bright shade and organic-rich, deep, fertile soil that's not alkaline. It demonstrates some drought tolerance but performs much better in humid conditions where it is warm year round. Use it as a street tree or park specimen in frost-free regions. This tree often develops multiple trunks or one trunk that branches at a relatively low height.
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Showy
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Flower Color
Yellow, Lemon Yellow
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Fruit Color
Gray Green
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Green
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Green
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Green
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Foliage Color (Winter)
Green
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Bark Color
Tan, Gray
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Fragrant Flowers
Yes
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Fragrant Fruit
No
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Fragrant Foliage
No
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
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Flower Petal Number
Single
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Repeat Bloomer
No
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Showy Fruit
No
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Edible Fruit
No
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Showy Foliage
Yes
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Foliage Texture
Coarse
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Foliage Sheen
Glossy
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Evergreen
Semi-Evergreen
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Showy Bark
Yes
