FLOWER/FRUIT/BARK: Beautiful lavender flowers hang in clusters 6-8" long, bloom April-July. Brown seedpods 1-2" long, develop in fall, eventually drop. Smooth, brown bark.

MONTHLY WATERING NEEDS: 1st year: 4; 2nd year: 3; 3rd year: 1.

TREE CARE: Moderate. Requires annual pruning; removal of suckers; sidewalk cleanup during flower and seedpod drop. Stake and prune when young to develop good branch structure.

TOLERANCES: Sandy soil.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS: Does not tolerate strong winds, fog, or cold. Appropriate only for San Francisco's warmest microclimates. Flowers have sticky nectar. Requires two to three years to become established.

NOTABLE TRAITS: If you have the right conditions and patience, a marvelous tree. Offers a lovely flower display and delicate foliage. Prone to aphids and resulting sticky honey dew and sooty mold. Attracts birds and bees.