Plant of the Month

Royal Poinciana (Delonix regia)

The royal poinciana symbolizes the beginning of summer with its vivid blooms of orange, red and sometimes yellow. Nothing in the flowering tree world can quite equal a royal poinciana for sheer gaudiness during full bloom.

Proper siting is essential so the full beauty can be displayed and the negatives minimized. The tree's good points include the exquisite flower display, the shade provided by the great umbrella _shaped crown and its hardiness. It does well in sunny, dry locations without baby-sitting.

But these pretty trees do have some negatives _ branch and twig drop, messy pods, fine leaves that clog gutters and pool pumps as well as some staining. Shallow roots grab extra water, and lawns and other plantings have a rough time growing under the tree. The tree casts heavy shade in summer and is totally bare for several months during the winter.

Watering may cause leaves to remain on the tree longer, but too much disturbs the bloom cycle, causing a scattering of blooms over a longer period. Irrigated trees may also develop root rot and have decay problems. Pruning must be done carefully as the softwood rots easily.

The royal poinciana is a big tree and needs a large open space so that the full spread of the crown can be accommodated. Expect 40-foot heights and 60-foot _plus horizontal spreads. This is a good tree for highways and unirrigated parks where its beauty can brighten the landscape and care is not routinely provided.

• Origin — Madagascar
• Salt tolerance — Medium
• Foliage — Green and delicate
• Drought tolerance — High
• Growth rate — Fast
• Nutritional requirements — Low
• Propagation — Seed
• Light requirements — High
• Problems — Weak, messy, staining
• Soil requirements — Well drained, not good in heavy soils
  

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