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Delonix regia
Illustration from Curtis's Botanical Magazine
Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Fabales Family: Fabaceae Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae Tribe: Caesalpinieae Genus: Delonix Species: D. regia
Binomial name
Delonix regia (Boj. ex Hook.) Raf.

Delonix regia is a species of flowering plant from the Fabaceae family, noted for its fern-like leaves and flamboyant display of flowers. Often grown as an ornamental tree and given the name Royal Poinciana or Flamboyant, it is also known as Gulmohar, Peacock Flower, Flame of the Forest, and one of several named the Flame tree. The species was previously placed in a genus Poinciana, named for Phillipe de Longviliers de Poincy who is credited with introducing the plant to the Americas.

The tree's vivid red/vermilion/orange/yellow flowers and bright green foliage make it an exceptionally striking sight.

The Royal Poinciana is endemic to Madagascar, where it is found in the West Malagasy forest. In the wild it is endangered, but it is widely cultivated elsewhere. In addition to its ornamental value, it is also a useful shade tree in tropical conditions, because it usually grows to a modest height (typically around 5 m, though it can reach as high as 12 m) but spreads widely, and its dense foliage provides full shade. In areas with a marked dry season, it sheds its leaves during the drought, but in other areas it is virtually evergreen.

The flowers are large, with four spreading scarlet or orange-red petals up to 8 cm long, and a fifth upright petal called the standard, which is slightly larger and spotted with yellow and white. The naturally occurring variety flavida has yellow flowers. Seed pods are dark brown and can be up to 60 cm long and 5 cm wide; the individual seeds, however, are small, weighing around 0.4 g on average. The compound leaves have a feathery appearance and are a characteristic light, bright green. They are doubly pinnate: Each leaf is 30-50 cm long and has 20 to 40 pairs of primary leaflets or pinnae on it, and each of these is further divided into 10-20 pairs of secondary leaflets or pinnules.

The Royal Poinciana requires a tropical or near-tropical climate, but can tolerate drought and salty conditions.

It is very widely grown in the Caribbean.

In the United States it is grown only in Florida, the Rio Grande Valley of south Texas, the low deserts of Arizona (as high as Tucson) and California, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam. It is the official state tree of the Northern Mariana Islands and is much adored in the Caribbean; for example, many Puerto Rican paintings feature Flamboyant Trees.

The Royal Poinciana is regarded as naturalised in many of the locations where it is grown, and is seen by some as an invasive species in some parts of Australia, partly because its dense shade and root system prevent the growth of other species under it. It is also found in India, where it is referred to as the Gulmohar. In West Bengal (India) and Bangladesh it is called Krishnachura.

The seed pods of the Royal Poincianas are used in the Caribbean as a percussion instrument known as the shak-shak or maraca.

• South Florida: June
• Caribbean: May–September
• India: April–June
• Australia: December–February

• Du Puy, D. et al. (1998). Delonix regia. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Listed as Vulnerable (VU B1+2c v2.3)
• Floridata data base
• ARKive - images and movies of the flame tree (Delonix regia)

Seed pods	Bark	Flowers	Royal Poinciana against brick building in Mali
Royal poinciana (Fabaceae) Habit at Kahului, Maui, Hawaii	Traders in the shade of Royal Poincianas outside the church of Santo Domingo, Oaxaca, Mexico

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Royal Poinciana