Dazzling Dry Summer

What's In Bloom Virtual Tours

DRY SUMMER
May - June

Trees that bloom in the intense heat of May and June are responding to the increased soil temperatures. Many of them have tropical origins. Some are native to other places where this season is especially dry. Pollinators include bees, hummingbirds, bats, and butterflies and other insects. Seeds will develop so that they can be dispersed prior to summer rains.

Cactus species - Characteristics: delicate, brilliantly colored and often large blooms Campus locations: Krutch Garden, Old Main, Likins Hall, Arbol de la Vida Likins and Arbol de la Vida display a unique yellow spined barrel native to Tucson (discovered and developed by Chris Monrad and the Tucson Cactus and Succulent Society)

Saguaro - Carnegiea gigantea Characteristics:Thick waxy white flowers; The Arizona State flower Origin: Native to Sonoran Desert key species; Campus locations: Krutch Garden; North of Old Main; East of Math

Pink bottle tree - Brachychiton x excellens Characteristics: Pink 3" velvety flowers. Origin: Native to Australia. Campus locations: South of Bio Science West

Golden chain tree - Cassia fistula Characteristics: Long chains of bright yellow flowers Origin: Native to Indian subcontinent Campus locations: West of Nugent

Jacaranda - Jacaranda mimosifolia Characteristics: Lush Indigo flowers Origin: Native to South America; these particular ones from high elevation Campus locations: South of Main Library

Cassia leptophylla Characteristics: Neon “knock your socks off” yellow flowers Origin: Native to Tropical America Campus location: East of Main Library

Kalahari Christmas tree; Marabou thorn - Dichrostachys cinerea Characteristics: Ornate pink/white “earring” flowers Origin: Native to African dry lands Campus locations: South of Graham/Greenlee Hall, East of Social Sciences

Calabash tree - Crescentia alata Characteristics: Brown (bat pollinated) flowers emerging from trunk Origin: Native to Mexican tropics Campus locations: Magic Alley south of Old Chemistry; south of Main Library

Sonoran cordia - Cordia sonorae Characteristics: White flowers that change to warm brown Origin: Native to Mexican tropical deciduous forest Campus locations: Magic Alley, south of Old Chemistry

Bottle brush tree - Callistemon citrinus; Callistemon ustralis; Callistemon viminalis Characteristics: Red pendulous flowers that resemble bottle brushes. Origin: Native to Australia. Campus locations: Education courtyard; NE of Physical/Atmospheric Sciences; south of Manzanita-Mojave; south of Engineering

Kapok tree; Floss silk tree - Ceiba acuminata Characteristics: Pale pink 5" flowers, open at night Origin: Native to Mexican tropical deciduous forest Campus location: SW of Math

Siris tree - Albizia lebbeck Characteristics: Pale green 2" puffballs, resembling shaving brushes Origin: Native to Southeast Asia & Australia Campus locations: South of Cochise

Monk’s pepper tree - Vitex agnus castis Characteristics: Spikes of blue flowers Origin: Native to Mediterranean Campus locations: West of Old Chemistry; south of Maricopa; NW of Speech Pathology

Desert willow - Chilopsis linearis Characteristics: Fluffy pink/violet flowers Origin: Native to Sonoran Desert, especially in stream banks Campus locations: SW Yavapai; east Harvill; SW Old Main

African baobab - Adansonia za Characteristics: Chalice shaped gold flowers Origin: Native to Madagascar; largest one in US; UA Heritage Tree Campus location: SW of Administration

Horseradish tree - Moringa oleifera Characteristics: Chains of pale yellow flowers Origin: Native to India & Africa; widely seen in tropics Campus locations: North of Herring; south Vet Sci/Micro; south of Gila

Giant milk weed - Calotropis procera Characteristics: Clusters of velvety purple flowers Origin: Native to India, Middle East, Africa Campus locations: West of Science Library, South of Gould Simpson

Alamos pea tree - Brogniartia alamosana Characteristics: Deep wine pea flowers Origin: Native to Mexican tropics Campus locations: West Science Library (recovering from 2011 freeze)

Crape myrtle - Lagerstroemia indica Characteristics: Profuse red, white flowers Origin: Native to China & Japan Campus locations: east of Nugent;

Red Mexican Bird of Paradise - Caesalpinia pulcherrima Characteristics: Profuse red/orange tropical blooms Origin: Native to tropics Campus locations: South of Nugent; along Campbell Avenue; along Cherry Avenue

Return to other What's In Bloom Virtual Tours

What's In Bloom Virtual Tours

DRY SUMMER May - June

DRY SUMMER
May - June