Delonix Regia Options

[turtleman]

I just had to post information on these, I love these trees as landscape shade trees,, and they even grow here in Phoenix, Currently I have about 750 seeds that are goiong into germination this next week and about 60 that have to get re-potted into 5 gallon containers (I never have time to get this stuff done)

The Royal Poinciana has been described as the most colourful tree in the world. The tree's vivid red/orange flowers and bright green foliage in any case make it an exceptionally striking sight.

The Royal Poinciana is native to Madagascar, where it is found in the West Malagasy forest. In the wild it is endangered, but it is widely cultivated elsewhere. In addition to its ornamental value, it is also a useful shade tree in tropical conditions, because it usually grows to a modest height (typically around 5 m, though it can reach as high as 12 m) but spreads widely, and its dense foliage provides full shade. In areas with a marked dry season, it sheds its leaves during the drought, but in other areas it is virtually evergreen.

The flowers are large, with four spreading scarlet or orange-red petals up to 8 cm long, and a fifth upright petal called the standard, which is slightly larger and spotted with yellow and white. The naturally occurring variety flavida has yellow flowers. Seed pods are dark brown and can be up to 60 cm long and 5 cm wide; the individual seeds, however, are small, weighing around 0.4 g on average. The compound leaves have a feathery appearance and are a characteristic light, bright green. They are doubly pinnate: Each leaf is 30-50 cm long and has 20 to 40 pairs of primary leaflets or pinnae on it, and each of these is further divided into 10-20 pairs of secondary leaflets or pinnules.

The Royal Poinciana requires a tropical or near-tropical climate, but can tolerate drought and salty conditions. It is very widely grown in the Caribbean. In the United States it is found only in Florida, the Rio Grande Valley of south Texas, Hawai'i, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Royal Poinciana is regarded as naturalised in many of the locations where it is grown, and is seen as an invasive species in Australia, partly because its dense shade and root system prevent the growth of other species under it. It is also found in India, where it is referred to as the Gulmohar.

The Images are from one young tree in Yuma and the second is a mature tree in Mexico.

[Anne_OZ]

oh WOW they are just gorgeous. I think (not sure) we have trees like that here. Are the leaves similar to Jacaranda?? I love Jacaranda's also. Wouldn't it be just so incredibly spectacular if you planted a driveway with both trees, alternating each and if they flowered at the same time. It would just look fantastic!!!

Send me some seeds please Turt lol

[turtleman]

Are the leaves similar to Jacaranda??

Yes they are very much so, they grow a little different in shape but there real close, I planted 5 of them in the front of the property here,, the rabbits ate them! ,, so this spring I'll plant 5 more! then wrap a steele cage around each one!

[Anne_OZ]

Darn those pesky wrabbits!!!!

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[turtleman]

They are cute lill fuzzy things, and people love em... but there so darn destructive it isn't funny.. Its even less funny when they eat a few thousand seedlings your trying to grow!

[lonestar]

I thought I was the only one with critter problems. Thankfully I have eliminated the animal invasion with a new fence.

How long does it take for one of these to reach mature height?

Will they invade water lines etc?

[turtleman]

Some Culture Information;
Delonix Regia is very fast growing, about 5 ft per year until maturity, and tolerant of a wide range of well drained soils from acidic to alkaline and from loamy to gravelly. It's best to provide protection from strong winds simply because of the umbrella type canopy it grows. They take full sun and are a drought tolerant tree, but does best with regular water in the growing season (summers)and very little water in its dormant season (winters).
USDA Zones 10 - 12. They should not be exposed to lasting temperatures below about 45ºF (7.2ºC).
Seedlings vary in flower characteristics and may take 10 or more years to flower.
Now I havent heard of any of them getting into drain or water lines, but I have heard of them being planted to close to walkways and paths, the root systems will grow close to the upper levels of the soil and a large root might push up a sidewalk,, so its something to keep in mind when finding a location for one of these.

[Anne_OZ]

They are cute fuzzy lil things I know....... and I know they are destructive, but I am an animal lover and couldn't hurt a flea....... well thats not true, a flea yes....a cockroach yes..... any sort of bug that decides it wants to take a chunck out of me yes....but fuzzy furry things...nah...

I am sorry they ate your plants Turt. I can just imagine how frustrating that is for you....but what do you do??

[turtleman]

I have a .22

[lonestar]

I agree. The .22 worked best for us also. Need a silencer though. LOL

[Anne_OZ]

awwww..... does that mean wrabbit stew?

[flowers_plz]

...Just read the post about low temps...sad,,I was so hoping to have one of these in Tucson.Is it worth a try??if I could find a sapling?
THX,Dian

[Anne_OZ]

Ahhhh haaaaaa! Flowers is Dian! Didn't take me long to realise that at all (achemm...cough... cough.... )

I knew I should have chosen a different career! Geez isn't it rotten when you know you are just so great at something but you never followed it up. I mean, I have friends who think I would be fantastic at being a detective because I am so smart and cluey..... thats cause I told them that .... but my only problem is I feel a bit like Columbo.... just look at my eyes! (thats a joke for the ones who know who Columbo was... or am I just showing my age now?)

[turtleman]

How cold does it get down there?? and how cold does it stay that way??.. These trees can take cold weather but if we run a few days of frost it might have a hard time of it...

I think were going to have to change Annies status from "Advanced Gardner" to "Investigator"

[flowers_plz]

Well as I stated>>my record keeping leaves a lot to be desired and I haven't lived here THAT long>>but ...we do get below 32 here and there(once was 17 In the blink of an eye(you KNOW how the desert is!) It doesn't stay that low for long .around 7 or 8 AM its above freezing temps..if not faster.Its not as if the freezing temps are every nite for days and days in a row either.
Can you tell I really want to grow this tree??lol
Turtleman..if you have these for sale>and they aren't too dear in price..I think its worth a try..right?
I can grow Hong Kong orchid trees...Jacaranda..some say Albizzia..
If I planted this spring and it had the whole summer to grow and acclimate??PLEASEEEEEEE??lol

YOOHOO,Anne...do you have a trench coat ..and what kinda car do you drive?Theres more to the Colombo thingy than the eyes!!
was as I supposed to keep who I was a mystery??Was that in the 'bylaws'for the forum and I missed it??

[turtleman]

I'd say you can grow them at your location, BUT! for the first 2 or 3 years I'd keep some frost sheets around until the tree gets large enough to handle a short freeze. We freeze here in Phoenix also and theres a number of them around town

[flowers_plz]

OK>>> I'm gonna do it/.. I found that The U of A...has one thats over 20 years old.. just up the street from me. . mind you.. I know they have more experience.. but I do believe this clinches it!...
just too perfect...> almost time 'fer those sparrows to go back to Capistrano!
I needed a reason..LOL

[Anne_OZ]

Hey Flowers
no don't have a trench coat (yet lol) and I drive a Kia 4WD..... I guess I am not much of a Columbo after all

[flowers_plz]

Hi Anne..the KIA is a start... you can come up with your own'trademark'idiosyncrasies!I happen to think 1 of them should be a camera... I saw the photos you took...its sure seems like a trademark at the very least/

[Anne_OZ]

Thanks Flowers I must say I do love taking photos!

[flowers_plz]

Anne.. you are most welcome..I don't know if its allowed... I hope Turtleman will ok it..but I am going to post a site for you that photographers from all over da 'world post pics on..Its where I get my local weather forecast actually. but if you look to the left theres a place half way down page called Wunder Photos..Please take a look and I think you should post a few of your beauties there if you have the time!You can also put your locale as far as weather there for yourself...its user friendly!
http://www.wunderground.com/US/AZ/Tucson/KDMA.html
That link will get you started I think..if its ok with Turtleman.
I go there 1st thing every morning.. and I have spent HOURS in 'wunderment' over the 'shots these people see and share!I look at Tucson first usually, but then 'explore the rest of the world..lol
OK OK.. Its also why my inside of the house is a disaster area..cause then I am even more inspired to add to my landscape.

[flowers_plz]

FYI...I have never signed up as a subscriber/paid to view..I hope for posting pic's its NOT a requirement.. I don't think it is.I hope you are interested and can figure out how to view photos from your area and others'round the world..I guess it was ok to post the link

[Anne_OZ]

Hey Flowers
I went to that site.......couldn't find Wunder Photos but don't fret. I am so blind (and I am allowed to say that cuz I really do have bad eyesight) and it is late........wow don't you love all my excuses!!! I will check it out tomorrow night

Annie

[flowers_plz]

Anne...I hope the link worked for you>?I tried it from here and it worked ok.If your post was made that early in the AM..no wonder your eyes were havin a bit of trouble!

[Anne_OZ]

WOW Flowers - that is a fantastic site! and the photos....oh my....... they are so great. I have put that site onto my favourites list Thank you for sharing!

[flowers_plz]

You are welcome Anne ...I hope to see you post some of your pictures!I have taken a peek at the Australia photos there but I haven't seen anything I thought might be like the ones you had posted here in the past.
Hope you continue to enjoy the site.

[Anne_OZ]

I was thinking of posting some but I have to go through some of my CD's to find them. May take a while and when I do I will let you know.

[Ännie™]

Hey Turt......is it possible for one of these to grow here ? I absolutely love it !

[turtleman]

I think it gets to cold there for one of these Annie, there really a tropical tree, growing well in Florida and the Southwest, they'll grow in TX also but they wont take to winter temps if they drop down into or below the mid 20's

[Anne_OZ]

Hey you guys......just checking in to say hello and yes am still around. Just don't get on here much these days. Hope you are all well and still love those trees! Gotta get some!

[LadyReah]

Howdy Folks! Long time since I was last here.

I have a spot in my yard that I have been wanting to put a shade tree so I have been scouring some of the local nurseries checking out what's available. Then last week my husband and I took a trip to Yuma to visit his Yuma office. It is located just around the corner from the pic you have posted above. As we parked I got out of the truck and told my husband "that is the tree I want". However I didn't know what it was. After an exhausting web search I finally found pics of it on Gardenweb which led me here. I really, really want one of these trees.

Turtleman, the post on Gardenweb and the posts here say that you were going to plant those seeds. I know that they are old posts and you may not have any left. But I would really love to find out if you have any of these trees for sale. Please let me know.

Ladyreah

[turtleman]

Good Grief Lady........ Where the heck you been!! ??

Long time no see, I thought maybe your fingers fell off and you couldn't post anymore..

Interesting thing about these great trees.. I grew about 800 of them, and 5 of them I planted out in front of the Nursery here, they grew great, each added about 24" in a few months over what was left of our summer and into the fall.. then we got that real cold freeze here (19 degrees at night for 4 days). Needless to say I lost my sweet lill babies out in front

But me being me... I wont give up, I have around 2000 seeds here to grow but its to late in the summer to get them going right now, so in another month or two I'll sow the seed I have to grow out a crop this fall/winter and cross my fingers we don't freeze as bad as last year.. there fast growers, so if your willing to wait a little while I'll have them..

Heres the seedlings in the greenhouse;

[LadyReah]

Would you believe that the freeze was responsible for my fingers falling off too? LOL! Only kidding of course. I have just been keeping myself way too busy these past months.

I felt that freeze too, lost quite a few plants to it, including 2 Oleanders that were in the middle of a hedge. Surprised the heck out of me when they literally just fell over dead! It also burst 2 of my outdoor water pipes. However I am happy to report that my Emu Bush survivied with only the smallest amount of freeze damage and actually started blooming within 2 weeks after the freeze.

I can certainly wait a while for those little babies to grow a bit more. I'm not sure how many I will want yet. I have a side yard that has quite a few straggly creosote bushes that I would love to get rid of. And I'm sure you know those bushes have the nastiest tap roots to get out. That alone will take me some time to do. Also want 1 or 2 for the other side yard.

Can you send me a PM with some prices?

Ladyreah

[turtleman]

I'll do better than that, I'll get these trees posted on the main page of the site here, Liners sell for 55 cents, five gallon containers sell for $15.00

[LadyReah]

SOLD!

I know I want 6 to start with. Not sure if I will have to order a couple more. But 6 for sure.

I have seen pics of the yellow variety, don't think I would like them as much. There is also supposed to be a rare variety with white flowers, but so far I have not been able to find any picks of it. Have you seen one of them?

Ladyreah

[turtleman]

I only have seed stock for the red/orange that you see in the pictures here.. BUT! the yellow I can get but theres to many yellow trees around the valley already, There is a purple one also, very few people know about them. A true Delonix Regia thats purple,, I'll ask my friend if he knows of a white one, I havent heard of one but hes from in Puerto Rico and has access to about every Delonix there is I think

[LadyReah]

Purple????????? Purple is my favorite color for flowers!!!! I would love to have one of those too.

I use yellow very little because it is so profuse throughout the valley. Especially it the outlying areas. I live out in Buckeye and we always get that burst of yellow every spring. Even most of the weeds bloom yellow.

One of my favorite bloomers is right in my own backyard. I have this huge old Ironwood tree that has a PaloVerde that has grown twisted around and through it. So when it blooms it is a mix of lavendar and yellow.

Ladyreah

[Desert Rat]

I'll do better than that, I'll get these trees posted on the main page of the site here, Liners sell for 55 cents, five gallon containers sell for $9.00

I joined this forum for the sole purpose of finding one of these trees. If you don't have any available do you know where I can obtain one. I have the perfect sunny spot for this available and I'm in Surprise, AZ. Thanks for any info.

[turtleman]

3 years ago Bakers had some they sold for $19.00 for a #5 but I don't know if they have them anymore, This February 08 (the first Monday of the month) were growing 2000 of them again, if your willing to wait until then I'll make sure you have one.
What size were you looking for?

Oh!, and by the way, Welcome to the Forum!

[Desert Rat]

3 years ago Bakers had some they sold for $19.00 for a #5 but I don't know if they have them anymore, This February 08 (the first Monday of the month) were growing 2000 of them again, if your willing to wait until then I'll make sure you have one.
What size were you looking for?

Oh!, and by the way, Welcome to the Forum!

Of course I'll wait that's not too long at all. I'm looking to plant this in my yard so what would be the smallest you recommend? BTW, do you have some kind of minimum quantity, those Tecoma Stans look like a great deal.

[turtleman]

I don't have any real minimum, most if not all we sell is wholesale but theres a number of people who come by because I seem to have things others don't. It's always best to call and make sure I'm here before coming by.

Speaking for myself what I do is plant seedlings, last year that was a big mistake as I posted somewhere back in this topic, I failed to protect the seedlings with some screens and the rabbits got to them, so I replanted more seedlings and added some wire screen but failed to protect from the cold we had here last year. These trees will accept low temps but they need to be more mature than a small 6 inch seedling. So this year I'm just getting in the right cycle. February in the Greenhouse until the end of March then outside for a full grow out, by the end of summer we should have a 4 to 5 foot trees....

[Desert Rat]

3 years ago Bakers had some they sold for $19.00 for a #5 but I don't know if they have them anymore, This February 08 (the first Monday of the month) were growing 2000 of them again, if your willing to wait until then I'll make sure you have one.
What size were you looking for?

Oh!, and by the way, Welcome to the Forum!

Is today happy planting day for these beauties?

[turtleman]

Seeds have been prepared for planting and are in the germination cells as of last week (Tuesday) Cross your fingers we have a good germination rate, in 3 to 6 weeks we should have a set ready to move outside for the spring and summer growing season.

[Desert Rat]

Woo Hoo!

[Desert Rat]

How's the little fellas doing?

[turtleman]

Their coming along slow but a few trays have the seeds up and growing, next week I'll move the ones that are up into #1's or #5's for growing out.

[Desert Rat]

How are they progressing, any pics?

[turtleman]

I set 3 into #5's and set them out side in the sprinkler field and I set several more into 8 inch containers and kept them in the greenhouse still. Once they get a good root down they tend to grow really well, but seedlings are hard to transplant. There currently small but your welcome to give one a try.

[Desert Rat]

I set 3 into #5's and set them out side in the sprinkler field and I set several more into 8 inch containers and kept them in the greenhouse still. Once they get a good root down they tend to grow really well, but seedlings are hard to transplant. There currently small but your welcome to give one a try.

I'm no expert so I'll defer to you. How small are these? Do they require any special care? I have spots in the yard that are ALWAYS in the sun and some that have some morning shade and some with afternoon shade. Which is best? When (and where) can I pick this up? How much do I owe you? CAn these be placed near sidewalks or driveways (roots). The questions will never cease. ha ha

[turtleman]

Right now these are only about 4 to 6 inches tall, I'm preparing a area in the front to put a seedling in. Once they get in their spot they should put on around 2 to 3 foot per season. In 06 I put a small seedling in and it grew almost 4 foot that summer, but I didn't add any protection for that cold winter and lost it. This year I'll put the seedling out, surround it with wire mesh so the rabbits don't eat it and this winter I'll make a temporary cold frame around it just in case we have a real bad cold again. They do fine in winters once they mature (after the first 2 or 3 years). Mine are getting planted in full sun, they love the heat! and a well drained soil, they don't even mind the salty soils we have around the valley. I would NOT suggest planting these to close to walkways or driveways (within in 20 foot) there are reports of roots popping up walkways once the tree becomes large.

Your best to just give me a call or PM me on the forum here to make sure I'm around for times to come by, I'm around here most this week except Wed. (tomorrow).