[Alisdair]

Shrubs or small trees of mixed reputation: for Forum members' photos of Cordia dichotoma click here; and of Cordia myxa click here.

[pamela]

Has anyone grown Cordia sebestena in a mediterranean climate region?

[GRJoe]

Dear Pamela,
Hi, your post inspired me to make my first intervention on this forum. Thanks!
I discovered this tree in Central Africa and later was surprised to see it grow in Sinai/Egypt! This was in the lush garden of a summer resort there, so I guess it needs at least lots of watering to survive the arid and even salty-winds of this region. What's more, it was bearing fruits, plenty of them!
Conclusion: I'd say it's worth trying in med' region. Joe

[pamela]

Hello Joe
Welcome to our forum and thank you for your reply.  I too, found it in Egypt but on the coast near Berenice right down near the Sudan border where we were snorkelling.  I brought some seeds home with me ..... It is very lovely.

[Alisdair]

Thanks, Joe - quick work, giving us help on the very day you joined the forum!
Anyone know why Cordia sebestana's called the Geiger Tree? Presumably it's nothing to do with radioactivity....
Pamela, My various books say it needs free drainage, midsummer watering, and a balmy climate, and is easy to raise from seed; apparently it'll take brief periods of a few degrees of frost.

[John J]

Alisdair, I believe it's something to do with a man called John Geiger who was a wrecker in the Florida Keys.

[GRJoe]

Dear Alisdair, dear All, thanks for the warm welcome! It's great to join your Forum, there are so many interesting posts... C. sebestena cought my eye first though : )
The fruit has a perfume that reminded me of old-style chewing-gums when I was in school. I read that it is edible but tasteless (?). The seed is bizarre, as if it begins germination as the fruit is ripening... so I suppose it can't be conserved very long, like many tropical plants? J

[Alisdair]

Thanks, John - sounds like a nice bit of historical exploration waiting for me!

[John J]

Alisdair, I seem to remember it was something to do with Audubon (the artist) painting this tree that was growing in the garden of John Geiger who was a wrecker in the Florida Keys area. I've been interested in the 'trivia' associated with plants (how they got their names, myths & stories around them, that sort of thing) for a long time. It's amazing what the brain will retain, according to Thea mine retains so much rubbish it can't hold the important stuff!