[MikeHardman]

I saw this tree by the roadside near Gialia, on the western coast of Cyprus, in full flower on 28may12.
It is the only one I have seen in Cyprus.
It is growing well and producing lots of flower; it is not scented.
There are no seedlings around, so the species may be dioecious.
For scale, bear in mind the car in the first photo.
The last photo shows that it has a fairly open canopy; it does not cast dense shade.

I would be most grateful to you good folks of the Forum for help in identifying it.

[HansA]

Hello Mike, it should be Tipuana tipu from South America (Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay,Bolivia and Brasil) - here on Mallorca not an uncommon species in urban areas.

[Cali]

I've seen it here in Corfu, too, but never knew what it was.

[MikeHardman]

Thank you Hans - yes - that's it!

From the common names I've found, I prefer 'pride of Bolivia' or 'tipu', the latter being a vernacular name.

Now I have done some research, I note:
- "The tree is known for having a very aggressive root system. The tree roots can easily lift up concrete and asphalt. Precautions should be taken when planting near buildings, homes, or pools, as they are likely to be damaged."
- "My suggestion when using tipu trees or other trees that have a vigorous root system is to install protective root barriers."
- "It can withstand a very wide range of growing conditions, from -4 degrees C to salty soils to drought."
- "This tree is viewed as an invasive weed in some countries. It produces masses of seeds, most of which succeed in germinating."
- "It has been used in the South Sahel and North Sudanian ecozones for street and amenity plantations, as well as in Dakar, Cairo, Lisbon, Tunis, Sousse, Jerusalem etc."

...So it seems that, in the right situations, it could be a worthwhile tree for med. gardens, especially if its seedlings could be prevented or managed.

I have not discovered if it really is dioecious or not. If it is, one might say that it would be best planted alone so seedlings do not become a nuisance/hazard.

A couple of refs:
- http://www.myvalleynews.com/story/31304/
- http://www.weeds.gov.au/publications/guidelines/alert/pubs/t-tipu.pdf

[JTh]

It is listed as not dioecious in this paper: http://www.uco.es/rea/publicaciones/andalucia/granada/Urban%20green%20zones-Carinanos_2011.pdf  (where it is described as ’ Species frequent in Mediterranean gardens’)

[GRJoe]

As member of the Fabaceae subfam. Faboideae/Papilionoideae (ouf!!!... always complicated with this large family), maybe it is a monoecious plant, but necessity!... do you know any dioecious members of this family?!
Maybe the fact that the Gialia one has no seedlings is due rather to its isolation and the self-incompatibility of the species.

You might find this fact-sheet interesting too (and less biased as to its "invasive" dimension), I always check the website of the World AgroForestry Centre for trees, especially tropical ones: http://www.worldagroforestry.org/sea/products/afdbases/af/asp/SpeciesInfo.asp?SpID=1648

[GRJoe]

... I just remembered the case of Ceratonia, another Fabaceae member, the sexuality of which is rather complex and variable. Yet, couldn't we say that the vast majority of Fabaceae are monoecious?
(Sorry if I deviate from the original topic... hopefully we go back to Tipuana )

[MikeHardman]

Jorun & Joe - thanks for your thoughts - I'll do some more investigation, too.

We ought to make reference to JohnJ's posting on this key Cyprus specimen,
and to Hilary's posting (ID'd by Oron).

[ritamax]

I planted a Tipuana tipu this February and I am very happy about it, it is a great shade tree. In comparison to Albizia julibrissin and Schinus molle, which I planted the same time, the Tipuana grows much better in the same conditions (through weed membrane and stone chippings in dry, clay-sand soil, watered twice a week). It is very widely planted in southern Costa Blanca in parks and as a street tree. It is not considered badly invasive in Spain - at least, yet.

[Fleur Pavlidis]

We've used your photos, Mike, to identify a tree in the MGS garden at Sparoza. It was always a mystery tree but a few days after you posted I was at the garden and there was the tree in full flower so I was able to recognise it as a Tipuana tipu. I printed out your photos for Sally just to be sure and consulted the book written by the garden's founder, Jaqueline Tyrwhitt, and there it is. She writes: 'I got seed from a botanic garden in Israel and it grew fast into a rather willowy tree with long light green leaflets and bright yellow pea flowers in June. My tree has not yet made pods but I think it is really a very good introduction to this area.'
It still doesn't produce seed. It grows in one of the terrace beds with other plants growing happily underneath and without knocking down any retaining walls or destroying paths with its roots.

[MikeHardman]

Interesting, Fleur; and glad to be of service!
I guess the damaging tendencies of its roots may vary with situation. Perhaps they only damage man-made structures if there is water nearby to 'attract' them. If the only/main water is downwards, the roots going that way would probably pose less of a problem.
And no seed pods, like the tree I found; hmmm...

[John J]

Mike, I obviously missed this post while I was away in UK. I have tried to reply to this post with photos but keep getting an error message and it won't accept them for some reason.
Anyway, there are several Tipuana tipu in Cyprus, including some used as street trees in areas of Nicosia. There is one outside Limassol Castle and the most famous one is outside Kolossi Castle. This tree was planted around 1900 by Cecil Duncan Hay who at that time lived in a house attached to the Castle, since demolished. This one is protected by the Forestry Dept as it is designated a Nature Monument. Its root system is extensive and colossal, spreading into the archaeological dig in the adjoining Sugar Mill.
I'll try to post the photos seperately.

[John J]

Tipuana tipu and Cypress, also planted by CD Hay at the same time.

[John J]

CD Hay, wife, dog and manservant.

[Fleur Pavlidis]

I seem to remember, John, that some people did take seeds from the Kolossi Tipuana. Have you ever tried to propagate it?