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Glossary

Royal Poinciana, Delonix regia

Go to - Landscape Trees
Landscape Shrubs

Family - Fabaceae

The Royal Poinciana is a long time favorite South Florida landscape tree, famous for spectacular masses of beautiful orange & red flowers in late spring / early summer. Common names include Flamboyant tree, Flame of the forest, and Peacock flower.

Mature specimens, with a broad canopy and fine textured, compound leaves lend a tropical feel to the landscape even when not in bloom.

Royal Poinciana is a very fast growing tree when young, able to put on as much as 5 feet of height per year.

Available at many landscape nurseries in South Florida this deciduous native of Madagascar is drought tolerant once established, resistant to salt as long as it does not get direct spray and will grow in practically any soil as long as it is sunny & well drained.

Young trees should be pruned to remove lower branches that
will interfere with sidewalk traffic or mowing when it grows larger.

USDA zones 10b-11

Mature size - 40 ft. high X 60 ft. wide with a flat topped canopy. Royal Poinciana should not be planted closer than 12-15 feet to driveways or other structures that shallow surface roots could damage as the tree grows larger.

Flat, hard brown seed pods, 2 inches wide X 18 to 24 inches long are considered by some to be a nuisance when they fall.

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