Triplaris surinamensisAnt Tree

The pink on Triplaris surinamensis is not flower, it is fruit. The species is dioecious, and only the female trees develop the three-winged bracts that colour bright rose and hold for two to three months, which is the entire ornamental case for the tree.

The form is useful too: fast, upright and narrow, with a columnar crown that suits a street reserve where wider canopies will not fit. The common name refers to the stinging ants that occupy the hollow stems within its native range.

Specifications

• Height15 to 25 metres
• Width4 to 6 metres
• Native toNorthern South America, in Suriname, Brazil, Peru and Bolivia
• FoliageLarge, oblong, glossy leaves on stout upright stems; briefly deciduous in the dry season
• Growth rateFast

Conditions

• SoilPrefers deep, moist, free-draining soils
• LightFull sun
• WaterModerate; needs reliable moisture and is not drought-hardy
• ClimateThrives in humid tropical and subtropical regions

Additional Features

• FlowersSmall cream flowers on male trees and pink-bracted flowers on female trees, followed on females by bright rose winged fruit
• UsesNarrow street reserves, avenue planting, plazas and tropical park schemes
• SpacingPlant 5 to 7 metres apart to make use of the narrow crown
• Low MaintenancePrune to lift the crown; the tree naturally holds a clean columnar form
• Pest ResistanceGenerally sound in cultivation; the hollow stems are colonised by stinging ants in its native range, which is not usually the case in planted landscapes
• Seasonal AppealTwo to three months of bright rose winged fruit on female trees
• FormUpright and columnar, occupying very little lateral space

The Ant Tree is a narrow, fast, high-colour street tree, and the specification has to call for female plants to get the display.