Delonix Species, Flamboyant Tree, Flame Of The Forest, Flame Tree, Royal Poinciana

Delonixregia

Family
Fabaceae (fab-AY-see-ee)
Genus
Delonix (dee-LON-iks)
Species
regia (REE-jee-uh)
Synonym
Delonix regia var. flavida
Delonix regia var. genuina
Poinciana regia
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Foliage
Evergreen
Deciduous
Height
20-30 ft. (6-9 m)
Spacing
12-15 ft. (3.6-4.7 m)
Hardiness
USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 °C (30 °F)
USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 °C (35 °F)
USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 °C (40 °F)
Danger
N/A
Bloom Color
Red
Scarlet (dark red)
Orange
Red-Orange
Gold (yellow-orange)
Bright Yellow
Bloom Time
Late Spring/Early Summer
Mid Summer
Other Details
Category
Tropicals and Tender Perennials
Water Requirements
Drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping
Foliage Color
Where to Grow
Grow outdoors year-round in hardiness zone
Bloom Characteristics
This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds
Bloom Size
Other details
Soil pH requirements
5.6 to 6.0 (acidic)
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
Patent Information
Non-patented
Propagation Methods
From seed; winter sow in vented containers, coldframe or unheated greenhouse
Scarify seed before sowing
Seed Collecting
Allow pods to dry on plant; break open to collect seeds
Properly cleaned, seed can be successfully stored
Regional

This plant is said to grow outdoors in the following regions:

Mesa, Arizona

Amesti, California

Castro Valley, California

Corralitos, California

Elkhorn, California

Fullerton, California

Hayward, California

Highgrove, California

Indio, California

Interlaken, California

Livermore, California

Newport Beach, California

Pajaro, California

San Diego, California

Watsonville, California

Big Pine Key, Florida

Boca Raton, Florida

Bonita Springs, Florida

Bradenton, Florida(2 reports)

Cape Coral, Florida(2 reports)

Fort Lauderdale, Florida(5 reports)

Fort Myers, Florida(2 reports)

Homestead, Florida

Jupiter, Florida

Key West, Florida(2 reports)

Lake Panasoffkee, Florida

Lakeland, Florida

Longwood, Florida

Loxahatchee, Florida

Marathon, Florida

Melbourne, Florida(2 reports)

Miami, Florida

Mulberry, Florida

Naples, Florida(2 reports)

Ocoee, Florida

Orange Park, Florida

Orlando, Florida(10 reports)

Palm Bay, Florida

Parrish, Florida

Pompano Beach, Florida

Port Charlotte, Florida

Port Saint Lucie, Florida

Saint James City, Florida

Saint Petersburg, Florida

Sarasota, Florida(2 reports)

Tampa, Florida

Tarpon Springs, Florida

Vero Beach, Florida

West Palm Beach, Florida(2 reports)

Winter Park, Florida(2 reports)

Zephyrhills, Florida

Albany, Georgia

Waynesville, Georgia

Honomu, Hawaii

Kihei, Hawaii

Las Vegas, Nevada

Trenton, New Jersey

Adjuntas, Puerto Rico

Aguadilla, Puerto Rico

Boqueron, Puerto Rico

Guaynabo, Puerto Rico

Ponce, Puerto Rico

Sabana Grande, Puerto Rico

San Juan, Puerto Rico(3 reports)

Vieques, Puerto Rico

Grenoble, Rhône-Alpes

Westmoreland, Tennessee

Brownsville, Texas(3 reports)

Conroe, Texas

Converse, Texas

Corpus Christi, Texas(2 reports)

East Bernard, Texas

Flower Mound, Texas

Galveston, Texas

Harlingen, Texas

Hitchcock, Texas

Houston, Texas(5 reports)

La Porte, Texas

Mcallen, Texas

Missouri City, Texas

Red Rock, Texas

San Antonio, Texas

San Benito, Texas

San Saba, Texas

St John, Virgin Islands

Norfolk, Virginia

show all

Featured Videos

Gardener's Notes:

32
positives
12
neutrals
0
negative
Sort By:
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F
F
Key West, FL | July 2017 | positive

Origin is Madagascar, but introduced to other parts of the tropic/subtropic areas of the world.
The Royal Poinciana blooms in the ...Read More

S
| April 2017 | positive

I had a decorated seed pod from Antigua, for about 6 years,
I am in the UK so less than temperate climate, but I planted some ...Read More

C
ROSLINDALE, MA | August 2016 | positive

Sheds its leaves in winter in West Palm Beach, Florida.

With age, this fast-growing tree often grows twice as wide as tall...Read More

G
San Jose, CA (Zone 10a) | July 2016 | positive

I brought back a couple of RP seed pods from Mexico back in the mid '70s and successfully sprouted a few of them, but back then there was...Read More

G
San Antonio, TX | February 2016 | positive

This tree is easy to germinate from seed if scarified. Simply make a small and shallow cut with a sharp knife along the side of the hard ...Read More

T
Fort Myers, FL | October 2014 | neutral

My first experience growing RP in Fort Myers, FL. Here's what I've learned so far and what are my challenges:

- When colle...Read More

5
Highgrove, CA | September 2014 | positive

I grew delonix regia from seeds harvested in Hawaii. Seeds scored with knife or file sprouted easily but most failed at 6 inch high in d...Read More

N
Bangor, ME | August 2014 | positive

Excellent tree! I collected two seeds in Florida from a mature delonix regia, and germinated both of them in three days when I got back t...Read More

D
Las Vegas, NV | June 2013 | positive

Not very many plants that I look at are listed as growing in Las Vegas Nevada. However, I am an avid gardener who was raised in the San ...Read More

J
Palm Bay, FL | February 2013 | positive

I am looking to buy a Yellow Royal Poinciana or Flamboyan Amarillo tree. It is my understanding that just because I have a seed from a ro...Read More

S
Tampa, FL (Zone 9b) | October 2012 | neutral

To my surprise, this particular tree is incredibly easy to germinate from seed! Actually, it was too successful because now I have about ...Read More

B
Winter Park, FL | September 2012 | positive

I am not a master gardner and this may be common knowledge but I wanted to share this in case anyone else is as clueless as I am.
...Read More

P
P
| August 2012 | neutral

Flame trees grow really well here in Cyprus but following an unusually cold winter, our 3 year old (8 ft) tree started to produce leaves ...Read More

F
Flower Mound, TX | June 2012 | positive

I live in a suburb just north of the Dallas/Ft. Worth airport.
My soil isn't ideal for this plant (it tends to clay and alkaline) ...Read More

J
Livermore, CA | March 2012 | positive

Growing in Livermore, CA. Need a lot of protection for those days below 30 degrees.

O
Volente, TX | August 2011 | neutral

I have Caesalpinia pulcherrima not Delonix regia.

G
Houston, TX | May 2011 | positive

I had one that grew beautifully for the better part of 5 years. It was every bit of 15 feet tall with about that spread and around an 8 ...Read More

G
Bastrop, TX | February 2011 | positive

Saw these trees in Miami at the horseshow grounds and fell in love. Could find nobody who could id them until last week. Something like 1...Read More

S
San Antonio, TX | November 2010 | positive

I purchased about 20 seeds on ebay for this tree in April of this year. I recently moved from Brownsville Texas to San Antonio Texas and ...Read More

K
Waynesville, GA | August 2010 | neutral

I really like these trees and my feedback is neutral only because I am not sure yet whether it will make it over the winter in my area. ...Read More

J
Port Saint Lucie, FL (Zone 9a) | August 2010 | neutral

I have one, 10' tall, 2 that are in pots, about 18" tall, and 2 more in the mail. Can anyone tell me how old they have to be to flower ?...Read More

H
Fort Lauderdale, FL | July 2010 | positive

I am a S. Florida native and have seen these trees around my entire life. They are literally EVERYWHERE! Actually there is one down the s...Read More

B
Red Rock, TX | June 2010 | positive

I received 6 of these seeds in 2004 and misplaced them. Last May 2009 I found them and figured I'd pop em in a container for the heck of ...Read More

K
Coral Springs, FL (Zone 10b) | May 2010 | positive

Easy to start from seed. Nick the seed coating and soak overnight in warm water before planting for faster germination.

H
| October 2009 | positive

Three years ago I brought some seed pods of the Flame Tree back from Cuba. This summer I planted two seeds in the greehouse. They both ...Read More

S
Fruitland Park, FL | July 2009 | positive

Thirty years ago I found myself on an unexpected trip to Ft. Myers, Florida. It just so happened this trip coincided with the time of the...Read More

B
Hayward, CA | January 2009 | positive

On January 1st 2009,I sowed seed from Florida here at home in Hayward ca and on January 18,2009 they have begun to sprout.
Like ma...Read More

E
(Zone 10a) | November 2008 | positive

Very fast growing.
Though it can survive some upper 20's, large branches can be lost, so it is better to be protected from freezin...Read More

F
| May 2008 | positive

I have just recently planted a poinciana in my front garden... so too has my son who lives two doors down from me... these trees are ever...Read More

C
C
Fort Lauderdale, FL | April 2008 | neutral

I live in the Ft. Lauderdale area, and recently planted a royal poinciana in my front yard. Within 45 days it lost every leaf. I also n...Read More

L
Saint Petersburg, FL | January 2008 | positive

St. Petersburg, Florida (zone 9b): Good news after a relatively low night of temps. I have a 4 foot tall new plant in the ground. the ba...Read More

D
D
| October 2006 | neutral

I live in the south of England and managed to grow a Royal Poinciana from a seed pod I brought back from Australia. I did not think I wou...Read More

R
Zephyrhills, FL | September 2006 | neutral

I planted my royal poincianna tree in the spring of this year. It is presently doing well. The tree has grown from 4 ft to approximately ...Read More

F
Winter Springs, FL (Zone 9b) | February 2006 | positive

I recently came back from a trip to Puerto Rico, and this beautiful tree was all over the island. Although it was not blooming, its archi...Read More

A
Fort Lauderdale, FL (Zone 10b) | March 2005 | positive

When we moved into this house we had two fully grown Royal Poinciana plants on the property. They were planted too close to the utility ...Read More

J
Henderson, TX | September 2004 | neutral

I acquired some of this seed (looks like a large bean) and now have 12 plants up which are about 5 inches tall. I live in East Texas and...Read More

G
Arlington, TN | July 2004 | neutral

I was researching how to grow these magnificient trees and found a website that says that they "usually will not bloom in pots." Also I r...Read More

K
Phoenix, AZ | July 2004 | positive

At a traffic roundabout right outside the city walls of Rabat, Morocco, there is a huge flame-tree. The flame tree blooms a little bit af...Read More

F
Honomu, HI (Zone 11) | June 2004 | positive

This tree grows very well in Cuba, where I was born, and we called it a flamboyan (from the word flamboyant), which it certainly is when ...Read More

S
Saint Petersburg, FL (Zone 9b) | June 2004 | neutral

I live in St. Petersburg, FL, and just got back from a trip to Key West, FL, where these trees are blooming all over the place. Simply b...Read More

J
Sebring, FL (Zone 9b) | April 2004 | positive

I was fortunate to live and work in growing zone 11 several years ago. I could not wait for the middle of June to arrive to see all of t...Read More

M
(Zone 11) | January 2004 | positive

This tree gets into full bloom on late spring/early summer. Larger trees are simply striking, covered with red flowers. Each tree has a u...Read More

S
Old Town, FL | September 2003 | positive

I lived in St. Petersburg, Florida, zone 9b, for ten years, and our neighbors across the street had a beautiful, large Royal Poinciana tr...Read More

C
C
Tennille, GA (Zone 8b) | May 2003 | positive

This is an extremely fast growing tree in zone 11. It makes a wonderful shade tree and they are used alot in landscaping alongside the hi...Read More

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