Couroupita guianensis

These were grown from seed from Fairchild's iconic large cannonball tree that has graced the garden since 1949.  This species is native to South America and is known for its remarkable flowers borne on specialized branches in the lower trunk.  When pollinated, it produces the iconic large spherical "cannonball" fruits.  Over time they become sizable trees and can take more than 10 years to start flowering, but are worth the wait.  The tree drops all of its leaves for a short time once a year and then produces a whole new set.  It does best in full sun with good drainage. (Pot size: 2 gallon)