I absolutely love my Retama tree. It's graceful, fast growing and has a long blooming period. It still has its yellow flowers, and a few seed pods, but it's also sporting pink flowers. "Sporting" is the operative word because the pink flowers are from a Coral vine I've allowed to grow on it.

It has thorns, but I've clipped off the ones within reach. As Omar said once; "Nobody is going to be climbing it anyway".

Thank you, Ragna. Yeah, retamas trees are beautiful. Here there are more images.

Omar

I love the coral vine and the beautiful tree. There is one growing in Granbury in the ground and huge! The trunk must be easily a 36-inch circumference. I wish that I had space for one.

Oh my! That's big. I wonder how old it is. Incidentally, I did a lot of pruning of the side branches the first couple of years to keep it so we could walk under it..

Ragna, my retama trees are very young. I planted all of them this year. I have one that is like 3' tall, two that are about 4' and one that is about 7' tall. Only the short one has not bloomed. The other three have not stopped blooming since I planted them in spring. I saw a house in Wimberley surrounded by retama trees in bloom and that convinced me to get mine.

Omar

I would love a few seeds if you have enough. I can send you postage or I just gathered seeds from Argemone mexicana, Aristolochia fimbriata or mixed Japanese Morning Glory seeds.

You got it, ruthz. I just sent you a message.

I still have some seeds left if somebody else is interested.

Omar

I have a couple around here. It is great backed by the cedars.

Mara, let me know if you want some seeds.

Omar

Thank you Omar, but I can get seeds of this off the tree in the background behind the agave.

You do not understand, Mara. My seeds are magical (was I thinking? nope!)

Omar

Ruthz, check your inbox.

Omar

We should have a three entry race between Omar's (so called ;-) magic seeds, Eric's exotic vine, and James' fairy tail bean stalk.

Your a mess roselee!!!!

I am interested! I dontknow what I have we could trade for. I have a couple of the variegated hibiscus cuttings I just rooted and a passion vine which can get out of control.

Hi, JewelsG,

I still have some retama tree seeds. I'll take a rooted variegated hibiscus if it is hardy to zone 8A. If it is not, just send me a SASE. PM me so I can send you my address.

Thanks!

Omar

Well, that took long enough to give away those seeds ;-)

Lol! I already gave away some but I kept some stash ( I don't know why but it worked for JewelsG).

Omar

Well I must be getting senile because I can't find a place to PM you Omar. Im new to this site anyways. This was the gardening community I decided to join out of all the other I checked out and its not so easy for me to work aside from comments lol. Please instruct me if you don't mind. Thanks!

As far as the variegated hibiscus being hardy to your zone pretty sure it would be. It gets a little too hot here sometimes. I'll

Jewel, you will need to go into your profile and enable the messaging function by going to edit profile, then "Advanced Setting", then look for the email me when >>> there will be "when one Messages me". then click" done editing".That will engage the messaging icon in the upper right corner of your profile page. Then one can click on Vulture's name in this thread that will take you to his page and you can look in the upper right corner and click to message him. when he replies it will go by email to you.When you reply it will take you to the message section of your profile. It is simpler than all this implies. I did it and I am a techno no texting luddite.

Thank you very much!!

There are two retama trees at this BBQ place here and I have been begging this woman it sewms like years to get a cutting. She seems to think I am going to hurt it. She has so many native plants growing around the restaurant that I would love to grow. I don't even know the names of them. Ill try to get some pics and soneone can help out on that. But I have wanted a retama tree for soooo long! They are just so beautiful. So seeds would be greatly appreciated. And yalls trees are amazing.

Welcome to the forum, JewelG....We are a friendly lot mostly. We are pretty good at IDing natives (try us) and there is always the "Name That Plant Forum" here. I will post on both and it is a toss up which thread will get answered first.

Thank you, Mara!

Omar

very late to this party but I have a question. I have some Retama seeds and I'm curious if any have had success in growing them from seed? what did you do special if anything? I've read that certain steps need taken, but other sites dont mention anything specific. Any coaching would be beneficial. Thanks y'all

I have not planted the seeds so I have no personal experience. Here is what Jill Nokes ( How to Grow Native plants of Texas and the Southwest) says.

" Retama seeds require no pre treatment in order to germinate. However germination rates are higher if the seeds are soaked in hot water (100ºƒ) for 1 minute (Bestt 1999). Adding Superdrive to the cooling water also proved beneficial to the grower. Germination will occur in2-3 weeks if soil temperatures are warm. Plant in individual containers at least 8" deep to occomadate a long taproot. Use a well draining mineral soil mixture. Seedlings will be ready to transplant in 1 gallon container when they are 4" tall.. Retama is fast growing and will make a 5 gallon plant next spring. To promote optimum growth; place in strong sunlight and fertilize regularly. Retama has greater survival rates if grown in containers that provide root air pruning."

I really recommend Jill Nokes book. It is a classic.

Retama will also grow from semi hard wood cuttings taken in summer treated with IBA and placed under intermittent mist.

thank you so much, very valuable information

She makes me sound so smart. LOL