Pride of Barbados

[_Keith]

Should look better as fall goes.

Show me yours?

[ariscott]

I have 4 different colours, although my cream almost looks yellow.... I will see whether I can take photos in the morning for you. They are quite hardy.

Regards, Ari

[Al in Kona]

These dwarf Poinciana pulchrimma are very hardy, drought tolerant, long flowering plants that for me look much better if heavily pruned each year as they will grow quite tall and the base gets very woody and thick. Sometimes I cut them down almost to ground level and then they come up thick and fresh. We have 3 different colors: red, yellow & pink (rose).

These go by different names in different places. Some that I've heard are: Dwf. Poinciana, Pride of Barbados, Mexican Bird of Paradise, to name a few. I've seen the red form growing wild in Sinaloa, Mexico. They seem to grow well in southern Arizona and come back from the base each spring even if the top growth was frozen back.

The only pic I currently have is this yellow flowering one.

[Eric in Orlando]

These are great carefree shrubs. The orange is the original species type and the most common. There is a yellow form, 'Flava' (see above), a cream form 'Cream' and a hot pink form 'Rosea' (I have also seen it called 'Compton's Pink'). There is also an orange form that is smaller growing and has maroon colored new growth. It is more cold hardy and common out in western states like AZ. The older growth can have more of a bluish green coloring. I was told this form is from Sonora, MX. I have heard there is also an all red form and a white form but haven't ever seen either.

Here is 'Rosea'. This one seems to be more finicky to grow and never blooms until very late summer or fall here. It also rarely produces viable seed. Since it blooms so late it is just setting seed when we get cold weather so the pods abort. It also seems more tender as it doesn't always come back vigorously if cold kills it back.

[realarch]

Beautiful plants , they were a popular plant in New Mexico where I grew up and we called them Bird of Paradise. The local name was shortened a bit from the name Al referenced.

The red form was by far the most common.

Tim

[cagary]

Here's my "Flava". It blooms every October for me.

[bubba]

When the title said Barbadoes,I was thinking Barbadoes Cherry.This was a very common Hedge Plant here until it fell out of favor because of the messy cherry.I lived on those things as a kid.They were great and I read that they have the highest Vitamin C concentration of any fruit.Luckily,more than a few remain so I can get my fix.

[SubTropicRay]

Great plant that grows quite fast with regular fertilization.

[Tampa Scott]

I raised one from seed and am kicking myself for giving it away. It bloomed last year for me in a pot, but I really had no room for it. Still kicking myself when I see them in flower.

Edited November 6, 2008 by Tampa Scott

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

I always thought the yellow color was dominant as some orange ones came up yellow for me. And I never knew they had so many colors, I only heard of the orange/red one, the yellow and the pink, but never saw the red, whit or cream ones. The pink ones commonly have maroon new growth. Around here they get a systemic gall disease that is very prevalent and calls for sterilizing any shears you use before and after pruning. Pretty little trees though. Watch out for the thorns.

Jerry

[fastfeat]

Top-notch plant for low desert areas--Palm Springs, Phoenix, etc. Can take as much heat as you can give it.

Personally, I think it's too wet in SoFla, too cool in coastal SoCal for them to be their best, but maybe I'm just spoiled by how great they look in the Summers of the desert...

[spockvr6]

I raised one from seed and am kicking myself for giving it away. It bloomed last year for me in a pot, but I really had no room for it. Still kicking myself when I see them in flower.

Well...at least you gave yours away....I chopped mine down!

[fastfeat]

I always thought the yellow color was dominant as some orange ones came up yellow for me. And I never knew they had so many colors, I only heard of the orange/red one, the yellow and the pink, but never saw the red, whit or cream ones. The pink ones commonly have maroon new growth. Around here they get a systemic gall disease that is very prevalent and calls for sterilizing any shears you use before and after pruning. Pretty little trees though. Watch out for the thorns.

Jerry

Jerry--

Sure it's not the same stem borer that gets into Erythrinas?

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

Ken,

It may get the borers too but the main problem in a maintained landscape is this gall. I think it is the same one seen in Bauhinia galpinnii and other Bauhinias. It looks something like the gall on bottlebrush, but I think it is a different organism.

Jerry

[fastfeat]

Jerry--

Got ya. These seem to be prevalent on things more so in FL than CA. Humidity is my guess.

Ken.

[Wai`anae Steve]

Do these things have thorns? It looks like something sold here which we call Ohai Alii, Caesalpinia pulcherrima.

Ohai Alii

[Tampa Scott]

Wow Larry I was thinking I gave mine to you. Now I am do not know who I gave it to.

Edited November 8, 2008 by Tampa Scott

[ariscott]

Now that you mention it, Ken... I guess they flower and look better in the dry season. They are still flowering now but a lot greener than before.... I love them even though they are thorny, as they flower all year round so it adds colour to my garden at any season!! Ooops, I was supposed to take photos, wasn't I?

Regards, Ari

[fastfeat]

Do these things have thorns? It looks like something sold here which we call Ohai Alii, Caesalpinia pulcherrima.

Ohai Alii

Steve--

That's the one.

[Al in Kona]

Waianae Steve, yes, as fastfeat says the Dwarf Poinciana (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) is what is often referred to in Hawaii as "Ohai Alii". I bet they would grow well and flower well for you there on the Leeward side of Oahu. The only real care they might need is an annual severe cutting back (usually in late winter) so they will come back growing lush and thick as opposed to getting tall with lower portion rather leafless. BTW, are you growing any now?

[Wai`anae Steve]

Waianae Steve, yes, as fastfeat says the Dwarf Poinciana (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) is what is often referred to in Hawaii as "Ohai Alii". I bet they would grow well and flower well for you there on the Leeward side of Oahu. The only real care they might need is an annual severe cutting back (usually in late winter) so they will come back growing lush and thick as opposed to getting tall with lower portion rather leafless. BTW, are you growing any now?

Aloha Al,

No, I"m not. I'm a bit worried about trimming things w/thorns. I have one Bougainvillea that was planted here when I bought the place and I hate trimming it back. It NEVER gets water except rain and it is growing like crazy.

Wai`anae Steve

[Big Tex]

Top-notch plant for low desert areas--Palm Springs, Phoenix, etc. Can take as much heat as you can give it.

Personally, I think it's too wet in SoFla, too cool in coastal SoCal for them to be their best, but maybe I'm just spoiled by how great they look in the Summers of the desert...

We had one and lost it last winter. We did collect the seeds and have a small one growing again this year. I will plant it in the spring. They are very popular here in Houston so I have no idea why ours cold not take the cold here.

[fastfeat]

Top-notch plant for low desert areas--Palm Springs, Phoenix, etc. Can take as much heat as you can give it.

Personally, I think it's too wet in SoFla, too cool in coastal SoCal for them to be their best, but maybe I'm just spoiled by how great they look in the Summers of the desert...

We had one and lost it last winter. We did collect the seeds and have a small one growing again this year. I will plant it in the spring. They are very popular here in Houston so I have no idea why ours cold not take the cold here.

BT--

Soil drainage needs to be very good to excellent for these. If you have thick gumbo soil in your area, you might want to amend it or plant in a raised bed. Soil doesn't need to be nutrient-rich, just fast-draining.

Should be able to tolerate minimum winter temps in Houston area, though may freeze to roots in colder years. Quite successful in Austin.

[Big Tex]

Soil drainage needs to be very good to excellent for these. If you have thick gumbo soil in your area, you might want to amend it or plant in a raised bed. Soil doesn't need to be nutrient-rich, just fast-draining.

Should be able to tolerate minimum winter temps in Houston area, though may freeze to roots in colder years. Quite successful in Austin.

It lost it's leaves but still looked alive after winter. Even had the trunk wrapped with plumbing insulation. I remember seeing it start to leaf out ofter winter and then it died. Perhaps it was the soil and not the cold after all. We do have THICK clay here and have lost a few plants and trees because of it. I usually amend the soil but did not plant it on a mound. Since then I have planted most everything else on a mound and have had no problems. Thanks for the advice. I will make sure to plant the seedling on a mound next spring.