Stigmaphyllon ciliatum is often listed as being from Central America but it grows as far south as Brazil. It was in fact noted by Joseph Banks when he arrived at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1768. The genus name comes from the Latin words 'stigma' for the receptive apex of the pistil of a flower and 'phyla', meaning "leaf" for the leaf-like stigma in the genus and the specific epithet is a reference to the hair-like projections along the leaf margins.
We have grown this plant since 1999 and that year also originally received the related Mascagnia macroptera as a species of Stigmophylon, which it certainly resembles. We also grow Stigmaphyllon littorale. These three plants seem confused in the nursery trade so we have a comparison image showing these three plants together on our Mascagnia and Stigmaphyllon Comparison Page.
This information about Stigmaphyllon ciliatum displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
