Bocconia arborea
29th August 2010
Thanks to the kindness of a friend, who grew them from seed, I have been able to try this
beautiful relative of Macleaya.
Native to Mexico (where I think the seeds came from), Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and
Nicaragua where it can form a large tree. I cultivation in Australia it is reported to reach 7m.
The seedling grew rapidy, becoming a magnificent small sapling during 2010. The following winter
was extremely harsh by our standards and fortunately I brought it indoors into the conservatory.
It came through the winter, though not in the best condition. I don't think it appreciated
the low light levels it had to endure. In the spring it went back out into the greenhouse
but possibly it went out too soon, before there was enough warmth to fill it with enthusiasm.
Whatever the reason, it started to look ill, and slowly faded away. I have kept the stump for
several months hoping for a new shoot from the base, but sadly I think it is dead.
Unfortunate because it is very beautiful, but I think it will be a little too tender for my
garden, even in a mild year.
2nd July 2015
I am surprised it has survived and I am starting to regret planting it in a greenhouse where there is only
2m headroom. ( Pictures from 2016 show it with stems crumpled up against the roof.)
6th September 2018
15th May 2019
After a good flowering and what looked like significant seed set, I had hoped to harvest some seed but nothing seems to have come of it.
The capsules all fell off before they appeared to be ripe, though it is possible that same seed might still germinate on the floor.