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Image of bird attractor, Chiranthodendron pentadactylon or Devil's Hand Tree or Mexican Hand Tree or Monkey Hand Tree or Cheirostemon apetalum or  Cheirostemon plantonoides or Chiranthodendron plantanoides coming soon...

Synonyms:  Cheirostemon apetalum, Cheirostemon plantonoides, Chiranthodendron plantanoides
Family:  Malvaceae
Origin: Native of Guatemala and southern Mexico 
Light:  Full sun-part shade 
Height:  >40' at maturity 
Spacing:  40' 
Blooms:  5", exotic, bizzare, red, 5 bright red stamens are long and curved upwards resembles human fingers which are claw-shaped with age, late Spring and early Summer
Foliage:  Evergreen, shallow-lobed, large, coppery veins, brown inumentum undersides  
Seedpod:  5" hard, brown, woody capsule, with small black hard seeds inside; the seeds are small and smooth with a patch of orange velvety-like fur on them. 
Soil: Well-drained, alkaline, drought tolerant when established 
Water:  Deep water when dry
Propagation: Seeds (Sow as soon as possible after harvesting them.  Plant 1/2" deep best around 80 degreees F in moist soil) 
Uses:  Ornamental, landscape
Comments:  Chiranthodendron pentadactylon or Devil's Hand Tree or Mexican Hand Tree or Monkey Hand Tree or Cheirostemon apetalum or Cheirostemon plantonoides or Chiranthodendron plantanoides is a unique and rare looking evergreen flowering tree with a rapid growth habit.  It is a native of Guatamala and southern Mexico.  Chiranthodendron pentadactylon has green, shallow-lobed  foliage borne on rusty-looking twigs; the veins are coppery in color.  The bark on the trunk of Chiranthodendron plantanoides is brown and smooth in texture.  In late Spring and early Summer,  Devil's Hand Tree produces unique looking red  flowers that resembles the shape of a monkey's hand, hence its common name; this is followed later by interesting hard brown woody capsules with just as interesting small rounded seeds with a small taft of orange fur attached on them. Monkey Hand Tree is propagated from seeds.  Remove the fur before sowing.  Scarify and soak in warm rain water before sowing; do not use tap water.  It thrives best in well-drained, moist, alkaline soil in a sunny location.  Cheirostemon apetalum tolerates drought conditions when established.  It is hardy to 20 degrees Fahrenheit (-6 degrees C) and cannot tolerate prolonged frost or wet Winter.  Mulch well and protect young plants from frost.  Birds often love to perch on Mexican Hand Tree for a drink at the upward facing blossoms where water had been collected.  Chiranthodendron pentadactylon is cultivated by hubbyist as an ornamental tree in their  tropical landscape.  Its bizarre looking  blossoms stop foot traffic in their path just to kill their curiosities.  In its native habitat, bats are the main pollinator.  The Mexicans find Cheirostemon plantonoides very useful and have been using the flowers in traditional folklore medicine to treat diarhhea and dysentry.
Interestingly, 'Chiranthodendron' in Greek means 'Tree with a hand-shaped flower' and 'Pentadactylon' means 'five-fingered'
USDA Zones: 9b-11