Sterculia foetida is a soft-wooded tree originally from East Africa and North Australia. The grey bark is smooth, spotted with brown and faintly ridged. The flowers, appearing early in February, forms at the knotty ends of the wrinkled old branchlets. The fruit consists of four to five follicles, each follicle generally containing 10-15 seeds.

PLANTING AND CARE

Choose a warm, sheltered location when growing. The vining varieties require a support structure as some can get 15 feet tall. Natural habitat is Moist deciduous forests and in the plains along coastal areas.

CARING FOR STERCULIA FOETIDA

This species should be planted in fertile, well-draining soil that is kept moist.
Specimens require large amounts of space to grow properly.
Apply mulch near the base to help retain soil moisture.
In India, a leaf-rolling insect is a serious pest of this species.