How to Grow a Bee Tree
Bee-bee tree, or Tetradium daniellii, is often referred to as Korean evodia. This broadleaf, deciduous tree forms a rounded, umbrella-like canopy and normally grows to 30 feet with an equal-sized spread. Bees cannot resist the small, fragrant blossoms that appear in clusters in the summer. The bee-bee tree is native to Korea and China and grows best in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 4 to 8. Typically, it is very hard to find these trees at local nurseries. You can plant bee-bee tree seeds outdoors in the fall and hope they germinate or you can stratify the seeds indoors first.
Collect several of the seedpods from a bee-bee tree in late summer or the beginning of fall when they change from red to black. Each pod typically contains two seeds.
Allow the seed pods to dry for a week. Remove the bee-bee tree seeds from two pods and place them in a plastic bag with damp peat moss. Seal the bag and place it in your refrigerator for four months.
Fill one pot for each seed with a mixture of peat moss and vermiculite. Dampen the growing media and bury the seed 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep. Cover the pot with plastic wrap that has holes for air circulation and place the pots in a warm, low-lit area.
- Collect several of the seedpods from a bee-bee tree in late summer or the beginning of fall when they change from red to black.
- Remove the bee-bee tree seeds from two pods and place them in a plastic bag with damp peat moss.
Check the pots often and mist as needed to maintain a moist environment to encourage germination. This process could take a week or several months. Remove the plastic wrap and move the pots to a location with lots of sunlight when the bee-bee seedlings emerge.
Keep the soil moist, but not soggy, as the seedlings grow. Apply a standard houseplant fertilizer to the young saplings as directed on the label. Wait until the bee-bee trees are taller and stronger to plant them in the landscaping outdoors.
Select a location with full sun and well-draining soil. Find a planting site with enough space for the fully grown bee-bee tree.
- Check the pots often and mist as needed to maintain a moist environment to encourage germination.
- Remove the plastic wrap and move the pots to a location with lots of sunlight when the bee-bee seedlings emerge.
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References
Tips
- If there are no bee-bee trees nearby, you can usually order the seeds online.
Writer Bio
Diane Dilov-Schultheis has been writing professionally since 2000. She is a food and travel writer who also specializes in gaming, satellites, RV repair, gardening, finances and electronics. She is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and has been published online at the Travel Channel and Intel.
