NAME: Royal Poinciana Tree
OTHER COMMON NAMES: Flamboyant
Tree / Flame Tree / Peacock Flower
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Delonix Regia syn. Poinciana Regia
COLOR: Red
PLANT SEEDS: Outdoors after frost /
Indoors weeks before last frost
BLOOM TIME: Late Winter - Early Spring /
Early Summer (Varies Based on Climate Where Grown)
HARDINESS ZONE: 10 - 12
PLANT HEIGHT: 20 - 40'
PLANT SPACING: 20 - 40'
LIGHT REQUIREMENTS: Sun
SOIL & WATER PREFERENCES: Average
QUANTITY: 10 Seeds
OTHER: The
Royal Poinciana is an extremely showy ornamental tropical tree that is beloved all
around the globe. A native of Madagascar, these trees are sadly endangered in
their natural wild habitat, but because they are so popular & have become
naturalized in other locals, their overall #s are sustainable. This member of
the royal family features light, bright green fern-like evergreen leaves that
measure 8 – 16” long, & super showy bright red flowers that measure 4 – 5”
across. As the seasons progress, the flowers turn to large seed pods that start
out green & mature to brown, & the seed pods can be nearly 24” long.
Royal Poinciana Trees are fast growing, gaining up to 5’ a
year. Their umbrella-like crowns can spread up to 60’ wide, making them a
popular shade tree. The Poinciana is also a legume, so can help fix the
nitrogen in the soil to make it more fertile. These trees are able to tolerate
pollution so make a great street tree, & are able to tolerate coastal
conditions such as salt & wind, & they tolerate drought well. They
prefer soil that is sandy or loose, & have a tough time in heavy or clay
soils. In the tropical to near-tropical climates where it is grown, the wood of
this tree is uséd for firewood & to make wood-goods, for its gum & oil,
& has traditional medicinal uses.
This beauty is so loved it’s got its own annual festival in
Miami, is the national tree of several nations such as St Kitts & Nevis,
has had songs written about it, & it’s been memorialized on everything from
currency, stamps, flags, & more around the world.
* Looking for more
showy tropical trees with insanely beautiful blooms? Check out our Blue
Jacaranda, Mimosa, or Magnolia tree seeds!
*
