What is THIS flower?

[Chadeaux]

First of all, I know what it is. I saw the tree, but had never seen one in bloom before --- and I had one on my property when I first moved here.

When the flower is "fertilized", the flower drops off. I actually picked this up off the ground today. When I first saw the shape I thought it was some kind of orchid, but knew it wasn't because I found it in a cedar tree, but I thought that was kinda fishy. While trying to "pick it" it fell to the ground. A friend told me to look up and I could hardly believe my eyes.

So, who knows what tree this came from?



The original pic was on my buddy's hood, so I put it on a background that I thought complimented the colors.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Family Maps of Hinds County, Mississippi, Deluxe Edition - Grab it through Amazon!

[Darke]

Looks like some type of rhododendron or hibiscus. Hard to tell with the wilting and not seeing the plant. But i'm not that great at identifying them either.

 

[Chadeaux]

Looks like some type of rhododendron or hibiscus. Hard to tell with the wilting and not seeing the plant. But i'm not that great at identifying them either.

Thanks for the guess, but I'm still fishing for someone who recognizes this bloom.

 

[Kray Gelder]

Reminds me of a snapdragon.

 

[Chadeaux]

Nope, still "fishing" for the answer.

 

[kenstein]

I have one in my back yard, in full bloom right now, but I"ll not spoil it just yet. I had to go out and look to confirm what I thought.

 

[Darke]

Asked someone who knows more about flowers than me. Which could be pretty much everybody lol. She came up Northern Catalpa. And yeah that's all I got

 

[3xflyfisher]

Possibly a wild Orchid. We have them out here in the western US that look similar.

 

[3xflyfisher]

Oops, just reread the OP, an Orchid is not a tree!! So sorry!

 

[Chug And Red]

Looks like an Iris but an iris is not a tree ours are purple

 

[Kray Gelder]

Asked someone who knows more about flowers than me. Which could be pretty much everybody lol. She came up Northern Catalpa. And yeah that's all I got

That's it, Darke! No doubt.

 

[A2coins]

Good ID Delta Dawn thinks it could be a faded rose from days gone by lol

 

[Goldfinger450]

My guess was Iris also.

 

[bowwinkles]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iris_(plant) examples at bottom

 

[Chadeaux]

Asked someone who knows more about flowers than me. Which could be pretty much everybody lol. She came up Northern Catalpa. And yeah that's all I got

You got it! Nice work.

 

[River Rat]

That is a flower from the Catalpa tree. Being from Louisiana, some people had many trees planted just for the "catalpa worms", great fish bait. Really the worm is a caterpillar of the Spinx moth. There are signs up on country roads "Catalpa Worms For Sale".

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Catalpa+Tree+Flower&FORM=RESTAB

Mississippi Champion Tree Saw the tree in person...it's massive!

 

[Darke]

You got it! Nice work.

Thanks. My sister was the one who identified it. I didn't know what a Catalpa was until then. The tree in the link River Rat posted is gigantic compared to the other images I saw.

 

[Chadeaux]

That is a flower from the Catalpa tree. Being from Louisiana, some people had many trees planted just for the "catalpa worms", great fish bait. Really the worm is a caterpillar of the Spinx moth. There are signs up on country roads "Catalpa Worms For Sale".

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Catalpa+Tree+Flower&FORM=RESTAB

Mississippi Champion Tree Saw the tree in person...it's massive!

Historic Washington, Arkansas has more Catalpa trees "dan you can shook a stick at." A young man went to Louisiana and saw the trees. When he came home he had a sack of seed and planted them all over the town. Many are still there. It's also the home to the world's largest Magnolia tree.

Washington, Arkansas was the place where the Confederate Generals like Albert Pike (there is a bust of him there), Stand Wattie, etc. directed the war strategy. The "old Washington Court House" is still standing and can be toured. On the top floor there is a Masonic Lodge that operated at that time. They will take you to tour that as well, just don't try it if you're full. They must have been some skinny folks back then.

 

[piegrande]

I am not an expert on much of anything, but here in Mexico, orchids are parasites and grow on other trees.

 

[River Rat]

We were at Ole Miss when I saw the tree not knowing what is was until I got closer. When I saw the leaves, admiring how big the trunk was, then a little further on I saw the sign. Biggest one I ever seen.