The beautiful Jamaican Poinciana tree

by Kurt
(Texas,USA)

QUESTION:.

Can this tree grow in Texas?

ANSWER: August-073-2009 by Wellesley Gayle



Hi Kurt,

I did some research for you and came up with this:

The Poinciana Tree (Royal Poinciana) requires a tropical or near-tropical climate, but can tolerate drought and salty conditions.

It is very widely grown in the Caribbean, Africa, Hong Kong, the Canary Islands, Taiwan and southern China, and is also the city tree of Tainan, Taiwan and Xiamen, Fujian Province, People's Republic of China.

In the United States, it grows only in South Florida, Southwest Florida and the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas, ranging from the low deserts of Southern Arizona (to as high as Tucson), Southern California, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, where it is the official tree of the islands.

It is much adored in the Caribbean; for example, many Puerto Rican paintings feature Flamboyant Trees.

The Poinciana, by the way, is the national flower of St. Kitts and Nevis.

The Royal Poinciana is however regarded as naturalized in many of the locations where it is grown, and is seen by some as an invasive species in some parts of Australia, partly because its dense shade and root system prevent the growth of other species under it.



For more on this plant, visit this wikepedia article.

Stay in touch.


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