Tropicals > Caesalpinia > Caesalpinia pulcherrima > Caesalpinia pulcherrima
Caesalpinia pulcherrima
Poinciana, Peacock Flower, Red Bird of Paradise
Origin: Tropical America. Genus is named after Italian botonist Andrea Caesalpino (1519-1603), and the species is from the Latin for beauty (pulcher).
| Family |
| Fabaceae |
| Genus |
| Caesalpinia |
| Species |
| pulcherrima |
| Category |
| Tropicals |
| Type |
| Tree (evergreen) |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 9 - 11 |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| Requires cool season protection under glass. |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H3 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| 5 - 1 |
| Temperature (°F) |
| 20 - 50 |
| Height |
| 3 m |
Photographs
Cultivars
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Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| A fast growing small evergreen tree. |
| Landscape |
| It is a striking ornamental plant, widely grown in domestic and public gardens and has a beautiful inflorescence in yellow, red and orange. Its small size and the fact that it tolerates pruning well allows it to be planted in groups to form a hedgerow; it can be also used to attract hummingbirds. |
| Cultivation |
| Best grown in direct sunlight in dry soil. |
| Growth |
| Fast |
| ID Characteristic |
| Sharp prickles along the stem that bore pinnae leaves. Concave shaped petalled flowers. |
| Pests |
| No major issues. |
| Habitat |
| The tropics and subtropics of the Americas. |
| Leaf Description |
| The leaves are bipinnate, 20-40 cm long, bearing 3-10 pairs of pinnae, each with 6-10 pairs of leaflets 15-25 mm long and 10-15 mm broad. |
| Flower Description |
| The flowers are borne in racemes up to 20 cm long, each flower with five yellow, orange or red petals. |
| Fruit Description |
| The fruit is a pod 6-12 cm long. |
| Notable Specimens |
| Pha Tad Ke Botanical Garden, Luang Prabang, Laos. |
| Propagation |
| Propagate by seed or by softwood cuttings. |
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