Yellow on Blue

Yellow poinciana (Delonix regia var "Goldiana?")(Note: Blog edited to correct for scientific name of royal poinciana) is a very showy flowering tree up to 50' tall, with wide-spreading branches that form an umbrella-like crown up to 25' across. It is also known as the yellow flame tree, copper-pod or yellow flamboyant tree. This tree is native to coastal areas from Sri Lanka through the Malay archipelago and Indonesia to northern Australia. Years ago, I saw a yellow poinciana for the first time in Bermuda, and was looking for it in Miami, and found them one after another by discovery over the years. I tried to grow a tree from seed but I was all thumbs, and never succeeded. Then I learned that...

Propagation of yellow poinciana is by seeds that must be treated before they will germinate. In nature, the seeds would have passed through the gut of a bird or mammal before germinating in a pile of rich "compost." People in the know simulate that process with scarification (use a file or sandpaper, just like for a lotus seed), or a two-minute immersion in dilute acid or boiling water. This beautiful tree is from a seed pod I had given to a friend's son who has green thumbs. This young boy germinated half a dozen trees without breaking a sweat. He must have known the secret cited above. It's still early so this tree is not in full bloom, but I couldn't wait to take this shot today.