I had some gardening friends over today and they commented on my silk floss tree. I corrected them - it is a white shaving brush that I bought from the Leu Gardens "booth" at the Spring Sale. But on closer inspection we noted that the first three feet of the tree was, indeed, silk floss, as were 3 of the four shoots at the top.

So to preserve the shaving brush I will cut off the 3 silk floss shoots.

But my question is this - why would it have been grafted in the first place? To make it more tolerant of Central FLorida temps? To avoid nematodes?

Not only am I curious but I also came back from Sanibel Island this summer with a cuting of a Red Shaving Brush tree (the one I got at Leu's is white) and I am rooting it and was planning on planting as is. I wonder if I need to graft it instead.

Any insight appreciated!

Thanks,

Anita