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Divi divi - Caesalpinia coriaria |
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| Common Name: |
Divi divi |
| Scientific Name: |
Caesalpinia coriaria |
| Hardiness Zone: |
10 through 11. |
| Family: |
Fabaceae |
General Information
The Divi-divi (Caesalpinia coriaria) is a leguminous tree or large shrub native to Aruba, the Antilles, southern Mexico, Central America and northern South America. It grows to 9 m tall, often much less and very contorted in exposed coastal sites.
Basic Care
| Bark Characteristics: |
Gray/Brown in color, fissured. |
| Leaf/Foliage Characteristics: |
Leaves are bipinnate, with 5-10 pairs of pinnae, each pinna with 15-25 pairs of leaflets; the individual leaflets are 7 mm long and 2 mm broad. |
| Growth Characteristics |
Slow growing. Trunk has nice texture though which makes this tree interesting and worth the effort. |
| Flower/Fruit Characteristics: |
The fruit is a twisted pod 5 cm long. |
| Lighting: |
Full sun slightly acidic soil. |
| Watering: |
Divi Divi likes water, but can be dry for short periods of time. |
| Feeding: |
Use a balanced fertilizer during the growing season. |
| Pruning/Wiring: |
New growth can be wired relatively easy. Older branches can withstand some wiring, however, they are brittle and will break easily. Clip and grow works well. |
| Propagation: |
Seeds or Cuttings. |
| Potting: |
Repotting can be done every other year. Slowly trim down a large rootball over several repottings. When repotting, trim top of tree and bottom in equal portions. Repot during summer months when nighttime temps are above 60 degrees. |
| Pests: |
None of concern. |
| Diseases: |
None of concern. |
| Bibliography: |
Wigert, Wigert's Bonsai Nursery, North Ft Myers, Florida (www.wigertsbonsai.com). |
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