Our mystery seeds from last week were from a cascalote tree, Caesalpinia cacalaco.
The cascalote is a small tree with huge, bright yellow flowers. It flowers in the late fall and into winter.
Originally from Mexico, it grows well in the Southwest.
The only drawback of these beautiful trees is that they have large thorns, although there is now a thornless variety available.
The flowers resemble those of another member of the same genus, the red bird of paradise, Caesalpinia pulcherrima.
Do you think the squarish red bird of paradise seeds…
resemble the squarish cascalote seeds? In shape, but not color?
Have you seen one of these beauties?
