Common Names:
Royal Poinciana
Flame Tree
Flamboyant Tree
Flamboyan
Flor de matrimonio

Hawaiian Name:
`ohai `ula

Classification:

Delonix regia (Bojer) Raf.
Kingdom: Plantae-Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta-Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta-Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta-Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida-Dicotyledons
Subclass: Rosidae
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae - Pea family
Genus: Delonix Raf. - Delonix
Species: Delonix regia (Bojer) Raf. - Royal Poinciana
(USDA National Plant Database. 2006.)
(Wagner,W.L., D.R. Herbst, and S.H. Sohmer. 1990. Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawaii)

Royal Poinciana is deciduous in climates that have a marked dry season, but in tropical areas where the winter is not that much dryer than the summer, it is a semi-evergreen tree. The leaves are feather-like, twice-pinnate, and 30.5-50.8 cm long with 11-25 pairs of primary leaflets (pinnae), each divided into 10-25 pairs of secondary leaflets (pinules). The flame-colored flowers are formed in dense clusters and bloom seasonally, usually in midsummer. Th individual flowers are between 8 and 15 cm in diamerter and have four spoon shaped spreading scarlet or orange-red petals (4-7 cm long) and one upright slightly larger petal (the standard) which is marked with yellow and white. The dark brown pods are flat and woody, up to 70 cm long and 7 cm wide. They contain between 18-45 yellowish to dark brown seeds that are about 2 cm long.
(Wagner, W.L., D.R. Herbst and S.H. Sohmer. 1999. Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawai'i.)
(Smith, A. C. 1985. Flora Vitiensis Nova)

(Wagner, W.L., D.R. Herbst and S.H. Sohmer. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawai'i)
(Smith, A. C. 1985. Flora Vitiensis Nova)

The species is related to the Tamarind and Mimosa Tree. It is so loved in Miami (Florida) that they have an annual festival to celebrate its flowering.
(Wagner, W.L., D.R. Herbst and S.H. Sohmer. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawai'i)
(Smith, A. C. 1985. Flora Vitiensis Nova)

In Mexico, Costa Rica and elsewhere in Central America it is referred to as Malinche after a beautiful young Indian woman of that name. Malinche is said to have been so beautiful that she persuaded Hernan Cortez, who fell in love with her, to spare her people from extermination at the hands of the conquistadors.

Royal Poinciana is a spectacular shade tree in tropical climates. As a free standing specimen tree, it has no peers. Royal Poinciana tolerates salty conditions and can be grown near the coast, but not in openly exposed beach conditions. Royal Poinciana tolerates hard pruning and can be kept at a small size, and even grown in the greenhouse.
(Wagner, W.L., D.R. Herbst and S.H. Sohmer. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawai'i)
(Smith, A. C. 1985. Flora Vitiensis Nova)