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Chiranthodendron pentadactylon (Monkey's Hand Tree) - A fast growing evergreen tree from Guatemala and southern Mexico that can grow to 50+ feet tall with large drooping shallow-lobed leaves have fuzzy brown wool-like hairs on the underside. In late spring into early summer (May-June) appear the very unusual flowers, looking like a red claw with the five 2 inch long red exerted stamens appearing as fingers protruding from the maroon cup of sepals; hence the common names of Monkey's Hand Tree and Devil's Hand Tree. The flowers are followed by 5 inch long brown fuzzy, woody, deeply-fluted fruits that split into 5 lobes when dry.
Plant in full sun and water deeply occasionally to regularly - can grow as a lawn tree. It is cold hardy to short duration temperatures down to around 20 degrees F - one of the largest specimens in the Santa Barbara area is located near our nursery and it weathered the short duration temperatures down to 18°F in December 1990 without damage. It is an attractive upright tree for a large garden with unusual flowers that are sure to attract attention.
Chiranthodendron pentadactylon comes from southern Mexico and Guatemala where it reaches its maximum size (to 90 feet) on moist slopes and there ii is called "árbol de la manita", which means "the little hand tree" or alternatively "árbol de las manitas" meaning the "tree of little hands". The name Chiranthodendron comes from the combination of the Greek words 'kheir' meaning "hand", 'anthos' meaning "flower" and 'dendron' meaning 'tree" in reference to the hand shaped flowers on this tree. The specific epithet pentadactylon translates from Greek as "5-fingered" and is in reference to the finger like stamens. This tree was revered by the Aztecs who called it Macpalxochiquahuitl and used in religious ceremonies and the abundant sweet nectar that forms at the bottom of the flower is even a tasty treat. It is said to have been grown by Montezuma in the Tenochtitlan's garden when Cortez arrived.
We have grown this interesting tree since 1988 from seed collected off the a tree growing in a Santa Barbara County Park called Lassen Open Space. In 2015 this tree was included on the California Big Tree Registry as the Largest Chiranthodendron in California.
Information displayed on this page about Chiranthodendron pentadactylon is based on our research conducted about this plant in our nursery library as well as from information provided by reliable online resources. We also include our own observations made about it as it has grown in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers in our nursery field. We will also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.
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