Pseudobombax maximum

[kit]

You may remember I published this pic before as an uncertain Pseudobombax spp. I talked to Lee Cicchella tonight at the TFTS meeting and he told me it is P. maximum. He specializes in the bombac family. He also described the bark as looking like old cracking wax which is a great description and makes it easy to ID this sp if you are lucky enough to see it. Purest white flowers, the anthers like round balls at the tips of the stamens, and dark green bark. He has tried to propagate it by cuttings and anything he has tried failed so he is going to try to graft it onto a P ellipticum. There is self-incompatibility in these genera and the tree has never produced viable seed.