Flower trees in spectacular bloom

During the last week I had reason for some trips to Toowoomba and noticed some spectacular trees in flower.
I have discovered that they are commonly known as the ivory curl tree and the botanical name is Buckinghamia celsissima.
It is a member of the Proteaceae family.
Another name for them is the spotted silky oak and this seems appropriate because the light grey bark is spotted.
Although they only grow naturally in the wet tropic rainforests of north-eastern Queensland they adapt well to a wide variety of areas and will grow in most places that only get light frosts if planted in a protected position.
They should be watered well until established but they are reasonably drought tolerant when established. They will flower after two or three years.
They do well in full sun or part shade but like good drainage. The size of the tree is determined by the area in which they are grown.
In the cooler southern areas they may be more of a large shrub than a tree however the ones I saw in Toowoomba were about three to five metres high and in full flower. In warmer areas they reach six to eight metres.
I have seen these trees growing in the centre of the highway in the Brisbane area so they must be extremely hardy to suffer constant traffic pollution.
The flowers are produced on the end of the branches and are full of nectar.
They are very attractive to bees and birds and the perfume is beautiful.
The trees are rarely affected by any pests or diseases and naturally grow in a pleasant umbrella shape.
They have lovely glossy green leaves and the new growth often has a pinkish tinge that adds interest prior to the flowers appearing.
The only pruning required is if you need to limit their height or the removal of the spent flower heads if you don’t like their appearance.
Definitely a lovely specimen tree if you have the room and one I’d love to grow, maybe in the bottom corner of my yard.
Another tree I saw in full flower was the Tibouchina or Lasiandra and it is also a delight to see in full, brilliant purple flower in the late summer and autumn.
I have known these beautiful large shrubs or trees as Lasiandra but realise that over the years they have become known as Tibouchina.
I don’t know why the change of name and this must have been very confusing to the people of Wauchope in NSW as they have a Lasiandra Festival from the second weekend in March until the end of the month! The first festival was held in 1984 and has been held each year since.
It was always wonderful to see the mass of purple as you drove through the town where they are used extensively as street trees.
If they can be grown in Toowoomba they should be able to be grown in this area in protected spots with good drainage.
There are many varieties now and a huge range of colours from white to pale pink, bright pink and all shades of mauve to deep purple and some bicolours.
Some of the smaller varieties can be grown very successfully in pots so they can be moved with the weather and make lovely specimens.

More trivia for your information and amusement.
* The first garden hoses were made of ox gut around 400BC
* The first European garden hose was used in Amsterdam in 1672 and was made of leather.
* The first plant catalogue containing prices was published in 1775 by the Telford family in Yorkshire, England. Previous publications had not listed prices.
* Lawns were first popularised by Pliny the Younger in Greece in the 1st century AD.
* Flower pots were maybe invented but certainly popularised by the Egyptian Pharoah Ramses 111 about 1230BC.
* Japanese consider associate Chrysanthemums with joy and happiness but in Malta they are associated with death and funerals and it is considered unlucky to bring them indoors.