Pinkball Dombeya Tree
Location
Butterfly Garden
- Common Name: Pinkball Dombeya Tree (other common names: Dombeya, Tropical snowball, Florida Hydrangea)
- Scientific Name: Dombeya wallichii
- Family Name: Malvaceae
- Origin: India, East Africa and Madagascar
- Height: 20’ – 30’
- Width: 20’ – 25’
- Growth: grow very rapidly
- Zone: 10A – 11
- Light Needs: Full sun, partial sun – partial shade
- Salt Tolerance: None
- Soil/PH/Texture: can grow in a wide variety of soils – clay, sand or loam, slightly acidic – slightly alkaline (pH 6.1 – 7.8).
- Soil Moisture: occasionally wet but well-drained
- Drought Tolerance: moderate (Plants can be watered until established and then forgotten except in the driest locations.)
- Pests/Diseases: can get minor cases of aphids, soft scale, nematodes and sooty mold but no serious diseases or pests of major concern.
- Growing Conditions: Low maintenance, grows rapidly, easy to grow, only cleanup is dried flower heads.
- Characteristics: this broadleaf evergreen has leaves that are green, 2” – 8” in length, simple, alternately arranged, with pinnate/palmate venation. It has showy, huge, fragrant, pendent clusters of tightly packed, 5- to 6-inch-diameter, pink flowers give much the impression of upside-down corsages.
- Propagation: by softwood cuttings which will root easily and quickly. (semi hardwood and hardwood cuttings also)
- Wildlife: attracts bees, birds and butterflies
- Facts: unknown
- Designer Considerations: usually grown as a shrub, it can also make a wonderful specimen tree in your yard, shade tree or container tree for your patio or deck.
