Other Names:  syn. Tupidanthus calyptratus

Description:

A tropical looking, evergreen tree that is perfect for shaded or dappled sunlight areas; flowers are insignificant, but their bases persist into winter and look like little mallets; beautiful palmate leaves are an attractive addition to the landscape

Ornamental Features

Mallet Flower has attractive dark green evergreen foliage on a tree with an upright spreading habit of growth. The large glossy oval palmate leaves are highly ornamental and remain dark green throughout the winter. It features subtle clusters of green flowers with dark brown calyces along the branches from late fall to late winter. The smooth tan bark adds an interesting dimension to the landscape.

Landscape Attributes

Mallet Flower is a multi-stemmed evergreen tree with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively coarse texture can be used to stand it apart from other landscape plants with finer foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance tree, and can be pruned at anytime. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Mallet Flower is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Mallet Flower will grow to be about 30 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 20 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 2 feet from the ground, and should not be planted underneath power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.

This tree does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets.

Mallet Flower is a fine choice for the yard, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Its large size and upright habit of growth lend it for use as a solitary accent, or in a composition surrounded by smaller plants around the base and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.