Delonix Regia Flamboyant

Delonix regia, "Flamboyant" or royal poinciana is a very distinctive, deciduous tropical tree with fern-like leaves,and large clusters of bright red and scarlet-orange blossoms, that is considered one of the most beautiful trees in the world! It produces enormous pendulous, 60 centimetre long seed pods! Although widely cultivated in the tropics since the 19th century, the native habitat of flamboyant was unknown to science until the 1930s, when it was rediscovered growing in the wild in Madagascar. The tree is commonly cultivated in the tropics and subtropics, but is under increasing threat in its natural habitat due to habitat destruction. The genus name is derived from the Greek words delos (meaning conspicuous), and onyx, meaning claw, referring to the appearance of the spectacular flowers.