treesinflorida

Royal Poinciana

Royal Poinciana
The Royal Poinciana, the flamboyant or flame tree (Delonix regia), is renowned for its stunning beauty and lush, umbrella-like canopy. Native to Madagascar, this tropical marvel thrives in warm climates, lighting up summer landscapes with dazzling blooms ranging from vivid red to fiery orange and striking yellow in some cultivars. Each flower has four spoon-shaped petals and one larger petal, often compared to an orchid’s beauty.
This deciduous tree is perfect for creating dappled shade in USDA hardiness zones 9b–11. Royal Poinciana is a visual delight and a natural sunshade during the hottest months. It has a mature height of about 40 feet and a canopy that can spread to 60 feet. Once established, it’s highly tolerant of drought and salt, making it a resilient choice for many landscapes.
Though the tree’s long seed pods can become lawn litter in spring, the Royal Poinciana’s grand presence and vibrant flowers make it a favorite among gardeners and admirers—an ideal addition to frost-free landscapes for those seeking year-round beauty and a bit of tropical charm!
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Poisonwood Tree

The Poisonwood tree (Metopium Toxiferum) is a medium-sized (25-35 feet tall) tree that only grows in South Florida but it is also native to most of the Caribbean. The color of the bark can have more than two colors, ranging from yellows and oranges to reds and browns. However, a primary characteristic of the poisonwood tree trunk is black blotches formed by urushiol resin that has oxidized.
The flowering season occurs all year long, but its peak is during the spring season. The poisonwood grows female and male flowers on separate trees. The female flowers produce oblong orange fruits that serve as food for many types of birds including the endangered white-crowned pigeon.
Nevertheless, the poisonwood tree is part of the family of the poison oak and contains oleoresin urushiol, the same skin-irritating compound that puts the poison in poison ivy. The toxin of the poisonwood tree is so toxic that standing under its leaves during a rainy day can cause irritation and rashes on human skin.
All of us need to be capable of identifying this tree during visits to the park or when going hiking to the beautiful natural places of South Florida and the Florida Keys.
Photo Credit: Dan Kon
Author: Steven Marquez – Student, Valencia College
Work Cited: Wild South Florida. “Poisonwood.” Wild South Florida 10/15/2021
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