This is an evergreen small tree with an erect upright habit which is tenderish and needs a sheltered location to grow well. As yet we have not managed to get this going at Burncoose but a large specimen at Tregothnan gardens is an impressive sight when in full flower in May or June. Tresco Abbey Garden also has good specimens.
The tree has distinctive and easily recognisable pinnate leaves with 10 to 20 small neat ovate or oval leaflets. The rachis between each leaflet has a pair of small triangular wings.
White flowers appear in racemes at the end of each twig and are offset in colour well by the much darker green leaves.
A year ago I chanced upon a rather more shrubby Weinmannia in our show tunnel. Its white racemes of flowers suggested that it was not W. trichosperma because the immature leaves were trilobed or trifoliate. It turned out to be Weinmannia racemosa which has variable leaves in maturity to those in juvenility. When more mature the leaves will be ovate and coarsely toothed.
Hopefully cuttings from this second, even rarer, species can be propagated successfully in the future.
