Maybe it got too cold in the luggage compartment.

I have no idea, but just to come up with a diffeerent thought, have you considered building a hoop house over it, or maybe put a tomato cage around it and then wrap the cage in thick mil plastic?

The other thought is to google the Florida Extension Service on-line. I think most Extension Services and Master Gardener programs are on-line now. You might find out something useful.

And if you want to talk with a person, you could call a Florida Extension Office.

Another thought; is there a Florida Forum on Garden Web? I have never looked because I don't need it, but if there is, they might be able to help you.

Best wishes. Hope you save the plant.

Mary

Poor thing's cold. Wouldn't you be? Probably does think it's winter - our summer temps would be winter where it's from. It needs heat. Never mind the transplant fertilizer, that won't help here. Is it outside? do you have a southern or western facing wall you can put it on to give it more heat?

Thanks all, I think it is just not used to the weather shift and that it thinks it is going into winter. It has been 2 weeks + now and the leaf droppage has slowed down and most of the leaves open in the daytime. It still does not look happy, but I think that it will survive.

I do wonder though if it will survive our winter. I know how important provenance is and am thinking being grown in esentially a hot-house environment is certainly different than our winters (even if it says it can be a zone 9).

Anyway, we shall see. thanks again for the thoughts and support.

d

Hi Dan and all,

I love C. pulcherrima and can see why you brought one back. They're so lovely in bloom. I just moved back home to Seattle after six years in Phoenix, AZ, where these are very, very popularly planted (they bloom nonstop during the blast furnace summer, despite the low humidity compared to Florida). They're called "red bird of paradise" in Phoenix, which makes confusing them with Strelitzia easy when chatting (though not when looking).

I'm sure they're fine with our winter low temperatures (it occasionally freezes in outlying Phoenix and they do fine with it) though as you mentioned, the high moisture content of soil in winter might be the real issue. They're quick to grow from seed so if yours settles in, blooms, and set seeds, you'll be set for next year.

Like the others said, and you suspected, I'm sure it was the adjustment to the lower temps. I'm glad it sounds like it's settling in a bit. Definitely keep us posted on how it does. There are several other species of Caesalpinia that I fell in love with during my time in AZ and I'm eager to give them a try here in Seattle.

Updates are encouraged.
Take care,
Grant

Here is a link that might be useful: Desert tropical's link to Caesalpinia