When does the flame tree bloom? Which months are its flowering season

The flame tree, also known as the golden phoenix flower, red flower kapok tree, phoenix tree and so on, is a tall deciduous tree of the genus Delonix in the Fabaceae family, native to Madagascar and tropical regions around the world, and distributed in southern and southwestern China. Because its bright red or orange flowers combine with bright green bipinnate compound leaves, it is praised as one of the most colorful trees in the world. Let's take a look below at when the flame tree blooms!

When does the flame tree bloom?

The flame tree generally blooms from May to July. The flame tree's flowers are beautiful and brilliantly colored, and it produces a very large quantity of blooms, dyeing the entire tree red. The flame tree's flowers are relatively large, axillary, with 5 petals; they start out bright red and gradually turn orange-red as the flowers open, with yellow edges on the petals and a wrinkled texture.

The growth habits of the flame tree

The flame tree is a tropical tree species. It begins to bloom 6 to 8 years after planting. It prefers high temperatures, high humidity and a sunny environment. The optimum growth temperature is 20 to 30°C. It is not cold-tolerant, and the winter temperature should not be lower than 10°C. Deep, fertile, organic-rich sandy loam is ideal. It fears waterlogging, so drainage must be good. It is relatively drought-tolerant and tolerant of poor soil. Generally, a 1-year-old tree can reach 1.5 to 2 m in height, a 2-year-old tree can reach 3 to 4 m, and it begins to flower after 6 to 8 years of planting. In southern China, winter buds sprout in early February each year, growth peaks from April to July, growth declines in late July due to excessively high temperatures, growth speeds up after mid-to-late August as temperatures drop, growth slows after October, and leaves fall from December to January of the following year.

What value does the flame tree have?

1. Medicinal value: The bark of the flame tree has the effects of calming the liver, subduing yang and reducing fever. The water extract of its stem bark has an emetic effect and a central nervous system inhibitory effect on cats and monkeys, and the alcohol and water extracts of its flowers have an effect against roundworms.

2. Ornamental value: The flame tree is a famous tropical ornamental tree species. Its crown is tall, its flowers are red and its leaves are green, and the whole tree looks like fire, magnificent and splendid. It is widely planted in botanical gardens and parks in southern Chinese cities as an ornamental tree or street tree.

3. Ecological value: The flame tree's root system has nitrogen-fixing rhizobia, which can save on fertilizer application. A large amount of fallen leaves provides good mulch for ground cover plants, helping to retain moisture and warmth, improve soil organic matter content and structure, and increase soil fertility.

4. Craft value: The resin is soluble in water and is used in crafts. The wood is light and soft, with good elasticity and a distinctive grain, and can be used for small furniture and as a craft material. The seed pods are used as percussion instruments in the Caribbean region, called shakers or maracas.