Malvaceae (mallow family) Pseudobombax

Pseudobombax ellipticum shaving-brush tree

Mexico to Guatemala
Pseudobombax ellipticum leaves, green bark. John Rawlings, ca. 2005

The green bark of this tree is similar to that of the nearby Chorisia speciosa, but without the spikes. The tree, named for its showy 6-inch-long flowers with many 4-inch stamens, can grow to 30 feet in the wild but is shorter in cultivation. In 2003, a tree was planted at the edge of the Arizona Garden, on the side closest to Palm Drive.

About this Entry: The main text of this entry is from the book Trees of Stanford and Environs, by Ronald Bracewell, published 2005. Family updated from Bombacaceae to Malvaceae Jan 2018 (SP).