You may have seen a popular bumper sticker with the phrase “I brake for coffee”, but as an unapologetic plant nerd, I brake for show-stopping trees in full bloom. The Royal Poinciana (Delonix regia) is one such tree. Categorized as having a grade A+ flower display, this prima donna of flowering trees, with brilliant orange-red flowers, blooms from late-Spring to mid-Summer.

But before you go running off to plant this beauty in your yard, note well that this tree is best suited for large landscape spaces, spreading up to 60 ft. wide. A canopy full of blooms also means that there’ll be a ‘carpet’ of spent flowers, scattered across your lawn, making it what some people regard as a ‘messy tree’. Additionally, because it belongs to the same plant family as legumes (Fabaceae), the tree bears seeds in pods similar to pea-pods, but these pods grow up to 1 ft. in length, and disposing of them will require some extra yard maintenance. However, all beauties require a bit of maintenance, and this one is no exception. But once it starts blooming in all its spectacular glory, that may just be enough to convince you that any maintenance required by this show-stopper, is worth every minute!

Learn more: Delonix regia

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