Alectyron tomentosus - Hairy bird's eye, Red jacket, Woolly rambutan

• Description
• Specification
• Gift wrap

Alectyron tomentosus is a highly decorative tree, native to Eastern Australia' s subtropical rainforests, monsoon forests and coastal scrubs. The composite, hairy leaves have a thick, almost leathery texture and the young growth has an attractive coppery hue. It produces wood that is extremely hard. The hanging, pinkish-red flower panicles are followed by readily hairy, pod-like fruit clusters (hence the name woolly rambutan), revealing black seeds, one in each pod. When they open up, the seeds are surrounded by bright orange fleshy aryls, hence the name red jacket. These fleshy bits are edible and taste quite pleasant (the seeds contain cyanids and should be avoided).
This species, along with the shrub-like Alectyron coriaceus are extremely rare in Europe,yet they make a great pot plant for outdoors in the Summer, but will need overwintering in a cold greenhouse (hardy to -2C). One plant can produce thousands of fruits and one fruit cluster contains 20-30 seeds.

We have a few, one year old, 8-10cm tall plants available.

• Plant type	Deciduous
  Flower	Yellow - April (not significant)
  Fruit
  Position	Full sun
  Soil type	Wide range / Acidic or Neutral
  Hardiness	-15c
  Rate of growth	Medium
  Height and spread	15m x 3m
  Origin	Chile, Argentina
  Pot size	7cm

   

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