Southern CA Royal Poinciana first flower

[franchez]

I've never lit my tree and it hasn't ever bloomed. This year I installed Malibu type lighting and it now has 2 small lights shining on it. They are very low wattage lights, only 12 watts, do you think that could effect the blooming? 

[aztropic]

First flowers opened today - first 100 degree day of the year. Thousands of buds developing to open over the next month or two...

 

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

[franchez]

Beautiful! I'm so jealous!!!

[Silas_Sancona]

1 hour ago, aztropic said:

First flowers opened today - first 100 degree day of the year. Thousands of buds developing to open over the next month or two...

 

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

 Coincidence?, lol..  Checking on it for the 2nd time this week, RP around the corner opened a couple flowers within the last 48 hours as well..

[Silas_Sancona]

Scottsdale specimens by Civic Center Park / the Library / Police Dept. 





Looking great, but could not see a single flower/ any developing buds on either specimen.



Including a few extras, ..for the heck of it:

Albizia sinaloensis.. Biggest, local specimen ( that i'm aware of ) 









Ficus benjamina



Famous Ficus benghalensis (  ..i think )




** As a side note:  Park itself is totally shut down due to ..whatever makeover the city of Scottsdale is working on..  Could not access  other stuff i wanted to check on there.. That said, appears a bunch of stuff was torn out, inc some Chinquipin or Monterey Oak i noted a few years ago, possibly the Tabebuia impetiginosa, and the African Tulip Tree near where the giant Ficus benghalensis  is located.  Will know for sure whenever the city finishes up their " makeover "... ~ if ~ i make another trip up this way again.

Compared to where i'd planned on heading today, checking on the Delonix and Albizia were the only things that made the trip here worth it.

[franchez]

Thank you for going and posting these. I'm glad my Delonix isn't the only one in Phoenix without blooms.

 

[Silas_Sancona]

The neighborhood RP,  starting to flare up..








Neighborhood Cassia fistula ( Golden Shower Tree )  starting to set buds..  Not sure what is going on w/ these two on the west facing side of the house.. Center one may have always been kind of a dud ( Hasn't really moved all that much in the years i have watched it )  Don't think the dead top on the back one is frost kill since no winter in the last 6 has been all that cold.



As mentioned before, thinking not getting enough water in summer 2020 is more of a factor. Is the time of year when they drop their leaves anyway. ( ..though they seem to retain their canopy more in FL )  We'll see how they look once they start flowering / leafing out,  as we get into Monsoon Season.


3rd specimen, closest to the street, also the healthiest of the 3. Can see buds forming in picture #2.  Trees in back of picture #1 include:  Moringa, full of pods ( far left )  Tamarind, tall tree just right of center, ..and Ficus benjamina ( Gum Drop looking thing on the lower right )

[aztropic]

On 5/6/2022 at 1:52 PM, aztropic said:

First flowers opened today - first 100 degree day of the year. Thousands of buds developing to open over the next month or two...

 

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

Tree is now in full bloom-and it is spectacular!

 

aztropic

Mesa, Arizona

[bubba]

Great updated RP’s and many others! Not surprised anymore about all the Caribbean items doing quite well. It just takes time! Stretch it! Thank you.

[franchez]

Gorgeous!!! Mine is beautiful, so full, but no buds, I guess no blooms for me this year. 

[Silas_Sancona]

Neighborhood RP at peak bloom,  ..and a few other things:

Sizzle Sizzle..















Cassia fistula a few houses down ..Guess it decided not t o wait until June to start flowering ..At least this particular tree.  Looks like the other 2 have a couple weeks to go before they start..









Same neighbor's " Drought tamed " Ficus benjamina.. Imagine how massive it would be if we got at least 15" more rain per year here ( ..Tamarind / Moringa in the background on the right )



Biggest, fully exposed to the sun Guava i have seen in this area thus far..




Think this is  Bougainvillea  X " Flame "  ..Did not realize the actual flowers go from white / white w/ pink stripes, then proceed through shades of burning Orange as they fade on this cultivar.. Pretty neat.


 

[franchez]

That is absolutely gorgeous!!! It looks like mine isn't going to bloom again this spring, I'm so disappointed, but I still love it so much!! It's beautiful even without blooms. It's over 15 feet tall, it's hard to tell with my neighbor's massive pine tree dwarfing it.

[Silas_Sancona]

20 minutes ago, franchez said:

That is absolutely gorgeous!!! It looks like mine isn't going to bloom again this spring, I'm so disappointed, but I still love it so much!! It's beautiful even without blooms. It's over 15 feet tall, it's hard to tell with my neighbor's massive pine tree dwarfing it.

We'll get yours flowering..  As you fertilize this summer / fall, throw more Potassium at it vs. Nitrogen..  And remember, no water come November..  Hopefully that will provide just the right nudge to stimulate flowers next spring ..If you don't end up w/ a few surprise blooms later this summer.

See you have a Plumeria in the yard too..  Might recommend whitewashing the trunk, at least until it is taller and it's canopy will shade the trunk better.. Is pretty much the only thing that saved one i had in the ground here..  Throw some high K at it as well thru the summer / Fall.. Helps stimulate flowering on these also, and will help it ( ..or them,  ..if you have others ) stand up to our normal cold spells come winter better. 

Up to my ears in germinating Plumeria seeds and rooting some cuttings atm, lol.

[franchez]

Thank you, I appreciate any help I can get, I want to see it bloom!!! I just fed it with some banana tea, I soaked a dozen banana peels for a few weeks and then added water and poured it at the base. I will give it some fish fertilizer next month and I gave it some last month.  I never water it in the winter, the only water it gets is when it rains. I stop watering when I see the leaves dying in the fall.

This Plumeria was my only bloomer last summer, but I have an inflo on one that's in a pot already this year. Six years ago I planted 30 seeds, of those I only have 6 left and they're doing well, but haven't ever bloomed. I give them Excaliber and fish fertilizer, I will look into things with High K as well, do you have any specifics?

Good luck rooting your Plumeria, I can't seem to root them at all, but I've had really good luck germinating seeds (although they haven't bloomed for me either.) Just so you know, my yard is FULL of gorgeous flowers, I grow all types, but the only 2 things that don't bloom for me are my Royal Poinciana and Plumeria. Oops, I lied, Adenium don't bloom well for me either.

[Silas_Sancona]

25 minutes ago, franchez said:

Thank you, I appreciate any help I can get, I want to see it bloom!!! I just fed it with some banana tea, I soaked a dozen banana peels for a few weeks and then added water and poured it at the base. I will give it some fish fertilizer next month and I gave it some last month.  I never water it in the winter, the only water it gets is when it rains. I stop watering when I see the leaves dying in the fall.

This Plumeria was my only bloomer last summer, but I have an inflo on one that's in a pot already this year. Six years ago I planted 30 seeds, of those I only have 6 left and they're doing well, but haven't ever bloomed. I give them Excaliber and fish fertilizer, I will look into things with High K as well, do you have any specifics?

Good luck rooting your Plumeria, I can't seem to root them at all, but I've had really good luck germinating seeds (although they haven't bloomed for me either.) Just so you know, my yard is FULL of gorgeous flowers, I grow all types, but the only 2 things that don't bloom for me are my Royal Poinciana and Plumeria. Oops, I lied, Adenium don't bloom well for me either.

Plumeria can be tricky here, ..or so has been my experience.. When i first moved here, i had roughly 40 cultivars. Little by little id loose them ( In pots, in a west facing backyard. Likely cooked the roots, even though they were under shade cloth / trunks and outside of the pots white washed ) 

On the other hand, as i posted here, a neighbor has a large specimen growing against an east facing wall. Is in full bloom atm.  Another neighbor around the corner planted one in full sun on the west side of their front yard.. Is pretty much a burnt out shell of stems waiting for a good wind storm to finish it off.

As far as cuttings,  the ones i'd tried, to save my potted plants, or start new ones, the cuttings would shrivel or end up rotting.. Only two of the 40-ish cultivars i had made it this far, ..a seedling - started specimen, and a cultivar named " My Valentine " survived.  Moved the seedling started plant from where i'd had it planted at the old house, to the new yard here,  and planted " My Valentine"  in a spot tucked between two large Bougainvillea out back here that will shade it most of the day, but provide plenty of light. Idea is to allow it to grow up into sun, adding tougher wood as it ages. 

Funny thing is i stumbled upon a PDF a long time grower in California had put together listing 100's of different varieties ( Is posted here in the " Plumeria From Seed " thread, ..if you're interested in looking it over.. ** Is very long and detailed though, so it might take you a few days to pick from** ). Turns out, many i had were either too cold sensitive ( even to our minimally chilly winters ), heat sensitive ( at least where i'd had them.. ) or were poor / slow rooters, or cuttings had a tendency to shrivel or rot. " My Valentine " was one of the tougher cultivars.

Decided to try and resurrect a collection again this year,  starting w/ seed and cuttings of some cultivars that were listed in that PDF as easy to root, cold and/or reasonably heat tolerant ..and set seed ( Important for developing my own cultivars later )  We'll see how it goes..  Seed are also from selected cultivars that should meet the 3 main " requirements" listed above.

W/ cuttings, i put them in a mix of Coconut Peat, Turface, and grit i collect from a wash.. Soak the pot once, then place in bright shade ..and don't soak again until they have a full set of new leaves.  You can occasionally squirt the tips so that the " Claws " ( A Plumeria growers' term for the developing new leaves ) don't dry out / are able to push w/out sticking together.  So far, all feel solid / no apparent shriveling, and are slowly moving a little..  Again, we'll see how it goes.  Know they'll all be happier once we get to Monsoon Season.


As far as a good, long lasting K source? Langbenite.. ( ..Or Greensand, ) is good,  though the first product has a higher K %'age. Langbenite is a natural crystal form of Potassium that breaks down slower when watered, ..compared to chemical sources of K,  ..so the plants can take up pulses of it  when watered, or when it rains.   I typically hit everything 3X's a year w/ it ..Once in April, again in July, ..then, as a sole feeding, ( ..only applying it rather then a fertilizer that also contains N and Phosphorus in it ) in October.  Also use Kelp, and some other organics.

Other stuff i use it on responds well, as did the Plumeria ..and my Adeniums.  Agree, they, > Desert Rose <  can be kind of tricky to get to flower for some reason. Had 3, but one of my prized specimens decided to rot a couple years ago. Luckily, i have another that i got around the same time and is hard to replace. 3rd was a spur of the moment purchase from a Big Box. Has yellow flowers, which was why i grabbed it, lol.  In pots and bring them inside, and let them go fully dry/ dormant around mid- December.

Been tempted to try one in the ground, specifically one of the cultivars developed by a Desert Rose Guru in Tucson.

[franchez]

Thank you for all the info!! I will look into getting the Langbenite and look for that other thread. I also have a west facing backyard, so shade is really hard to find for rooting. A friend of mine says I should try grafting, he has great success with it, but I've never tried.  My Valentine is really pretty. The one I have inflows on right now is California Sunset, I hope I get flowers! I bought some burlap to wrap the trunk of this tree, I just haven't had time to do it yet.

Do you use Langbenite in your Royal Poinciana? Have you found it locally, or do you get it online?

[Silas_Sancona]

2 hours ago, franchez said:

Thank you for all the info!! I will look into getting the Langbenite and look for that other thread. I also have a west facing backyard, so shade is really hard to find for rooting. A friend of mine says I should try grafting, he has great success with it, but I've never tried.  My Valentine is really pretty. The one I have inflows on right now is California Sunset, I hope I get flowers! I bought some burlap to wrap the trunk of this tree, I just haven't had time to do it yet.

Do you use Langbenite in your Royal Poinciana? Have you found it locally, or do you get it online?

Nice, " California Sunset " is one of the suggested Cultivars for the area..  Several others from the same grower are supposed to be good here as well..

As far as grafting?, Some cultivars are better candidates for grafting than others.. ( PDF i mentioned details ease / difficulty of grafting various varieties listed ) My only issue w/ it is some veteran growers have shared concerns that the graft can actually weaken the plant over time... Something about the graft strangling the desired cultivar over time..  A few i had that were grafted were among the first to have issues.

As far as Langbenite, you can find it for sale at some nurseries here in town, or online..  Down to Earth is one company that includes Langbenite in their product line.  EB Stone, which might be harder to find here, also has a couple products that include it as well. Their SulPoMag is excellent for everything from Plumeria and Hibiscus, to Palms and any Cycads you might have. 

 Down To Earth products can be found at Treeland in Gilbert,  if you're in that general area..  Not sure about which nurseries would carry it on the west or far north side of town though.

** Btw, as a quick side note,  no direct affiliation w/ either company,   but have used products from both companies on my own for years and trust the results i have seen using them.  As with anything else, individual results may vary..   **

Since my Royal Poinciana are seedlings atm, won't feed them w/ it until they're stepped into 1gals. ..But do use it on a couple other Delonix sp. i've been growing, as well as Guaiacum ( grow 2 sp. ) Adenium, Cacti,  ..and everything else i'm growing. 

Should mention, one additional, potential benefit in using Greensand is it can help with moisture retention, which may benefit plants grown in containers.  Down to Earth, and numerous other organic - based Fertilizer companies offer it in their product lines as well.

[franchez]

Thank you again for the great info, I will find some and get it this weekend. Summerwinds by me has EB Stone and I've always wanted to go to Treeland, hope to one day.

[bubba]

There is no question that Royal poincianas, Cassia fistulas and numerous other Caribbean and other tropical specimens should be planted throughout these areas, particularly the California and Arizona desert. I believe it has high value residential and commercial viability.

[Than]

How do you keep it dry in the spring when planted outdoors? If it is small in size, OK it's easy, but when it is 10 years old, how do you stop the rain water from irrigating it? Are there any tricks I am not aware of? Mine is still in a pot but I am preparing mentally

[franchez]

I've heard that some rain water is ok, there isn't any way to help that, but you don't want to give it additional water.

[Silas_Sancona]

32 minutes ago, ego said:

How do you keep it dry in the spring when planted outdoors? If it is small in size, OK it's easy, but when it is 10 years old, how do you stop the rain water from irrigating it? Are there any tricks I am not aware of? Mine is still in a pot but I am preparing mentally

The unpredictable pulses of rain is one thing, compared to constant artificial irrigation.. Plants that need a dry winter / spring rest to initiate flowering can handle / ..are less effected by..  occasional winter/ spring rainfall better than being watered say once a week.  Here, i've only received ~roughly .50" of rain  ..since Jan.  ..So our spring has been bone dry.. Most are.  Rare that the low desert has a long stretch of cool and rainy weather in the spring   ..or any time of year really..

Soil composition plays another part in how much moisture is retained ..higher in dense, silty clay?,  it may retain more moisture longer.

Much of the soil here in this part of Arizona is Alluvial, IE: large grain sand, some finer, clay- like components, especially closer to river courses, or where ancient pools would have collected ..and various sized rock. Very similar to they type of soil Royal Poinciana might be found growing in  in Madagascar..  Even after a good rain, soil can be dry ..down to a foot.. within a few days  if the weather afterwards stays warm and is dry for a few weeks.. Cooler? / Humidity higher? = soil will often stay moist ..but not " wet "..  longer..

California soils can be similar, especially southern CA in areas that are built on old Marine deposits (  mainly well draining sand ) or further inland ( say Palm springs ) where the " soil " can be a deep layer of fast draining Granite / Quartz- derived Sand.

Soil further north, or in various areas in the Central Valley can contain more water retaining Clay.  That part of the state can also see much more rainfall in winter than the southland, especially closer to the coast.

 

Edited May 26, 2022 by Silas_Sancona
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[Silas_Sancona]

9 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

The unpredictable pulses of rain is one thing, compared to constant artificial irrigation.. Plants that need a dry winter / spring rest to initiate flowering can handle / ..are less effected by..  occasional winter/ spring rainfall better than being watered say once a week.  Here, i've only received ~roughly .50" of rain  ..since Jan.  ..So our spring has been bone dry.. Most are.  Rare that the low desert has a long stretch of cool and rainy weather in the spring   ..or any time of year really..

Soil composition plays another part in how much moisture is retained ..higher in dense, silty clay?,  it may retain more moisture longer.

Much of the soil here in this part of Arizona is Alluvial, IE: large grain sand, some finer, clay- like components, especially closer to river courses, or where ancient pools would have collected ..and various sized rock. Very similar to they type of soil Royal Poinciana might be found growing in  in Madagascar..  Even after a good rain, soil can be dry ..down to a foot.. within a few days  if the weather afterwards stays warm and is dry for a few weeks.. Cooler? / Humidity higher? = soil will often stay moist ..but not " wet "..  longer..

California soils can be similar, especially southern CA in areas that are built on old Marine deposits (  mainly well draining sand ) or further inland ( say Palm springs ) where the " soil " can be a deep layer of fast draining Granite / Quartz- derived Sand.

Soil further north, or in various areas in the Central Valley can contain more water retaining Clay.  That part of the state can also see much more rainfall in winter than the southland, especially closer to the coast.

 

Here's a really good link i posted on a couple years back that looks at soil composition, water holding capacity, etc..   that should help people understand their soils better..  Notice the " water Holding capacity " for  areas where Royal Poinciana are grown / flower well.  https://casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/soil-properties/
 

[Than]

11 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

The unpredictable pulses of rain is one thing, compared to constant artificial irrigation.. Plants that need a dry winter / spring rest to initiate flowering can handle / ..are less effected by..  occasional winter/ spring rainfall better than being watered say once a week.  Here, i've only received ~roughly .50" of rain  ..since Jan.  ..So our spring has been bone dry.. Most are.  Rare that the low desert has a long stretch of cool and rainy weather in the spring   ..or any time of year really..

Soil composition plays another part in how much moisture is retained ..higher in dense, silty clay?,  it may retain more moisture longer.

Much of the soil here in this part of Arizona is Alluvial, IE: large grain sand, some finer, clay- like components, especially closer to river courses, or where ancient pools would have collected ..and various sized rock. Very similar to they type of soil Royal Poinciana might be found growing in  in Madagascar..  Even after a good rain, soil can be dry ..down to a foot.. within a few days  if the weather afterwards stays warm and is dry for a few weeks.. Cooler? / Humidity higher? = soil will often stay moist ..but not " wet "..  longer..

California soils can be similar, especially southern CA in areas that are built on old Marine deposits (  mainly well draining sand ) or further inland ( say Palm springs ) where the " soil " can be a deep layer of fast draining Granite / Quartz- derived Sand.

Soil further north, or in various areas in the Central Valley can contain more water retaining Clay.  That part of the state can also see much more rainfall in winter than the southland, especially closer to the coast.

 

Say I want to amend the soil before I plant Delonix.  Can I add sand to the soil and how many feet around the trunk?

[Silas_Sancona]

6 minutes ago, ego said:

Say I want to amend the soil before I plant Delonix.  Can I add sand to the soil and how many feet around the trunk?

I might do something like grit rather than fine sand, esp. if your soil contains plenty of silty clay ( fine sand and silty Clay combined can turn the soil into a Cement- like substrate that can stay wet for long periods, or becomes hard to soak properly if left too dry for too long.. ) Ideally, you want the soil to crumble when trying to form a scoop of it into a ball in your hands.

Distance is tough to say since the roots will continuously work their way further out as the tree grows.  That said, a distance of say 20 inches out from the trunk should be good to start and help keep water from collecting close to the trunk...  Would dig a 12 to 14 inch deep " test hole " in your soil and fill with water then monitor to see how quickly it will drain.. Faster would obviously be better for a Royal Poinciana.  Generally, if it takes 15 minutes to a half hour for the water to fully drain from the hole,  that's a pretty good indication your soil is well draining.

 

[Than]

On 5/27/2022 at 10:58 AM, Silas_Sancona said:

I might do something like grit rather than fine sand, esp. if your soil contains plenty of silty clay ( fine sand and silty Clay combined can turn the soil into a Cement- like substrate that can stay wet for long periods, or becomes hard to soak properly if left too dry for too long.. ) Ideally, you want the soil to crumble when trying to form a scoop of it into a ball in your hands.

Distance is tough to say since the roots will continuously work their way further out as the tree grows.  That said, a distance of say 20 inches out from the trunk should be good to start and help keep water from collecting close to the trunk...  Would dig a 12 to 14 inch deep " test hole " in your soil and fill with water then monitor to see how quickly it will drain.. Faster would obviously be better for a Royal Poinciana.  Generally, if it takes 15 minutes to a half hour for the water to fully drain from the hole,  that's a pretty good indication your soil is well draining.

 

Great advice as always. Thank you!

[aztropic]

Our second, smaller, RP is at about peak flowering now. It has larger,redder blooms,compared to the older tree which are more orange,and the young tree always runs on a later cycle. A few pics showing the difference in color between the 2 trees. Lots of genetic variation!

 

aztropic

Mesa, Arizona

 

 

Edited June 2, 2022 by aztropic

[franchez]

This may be an odd question, but I'm asking anyway. My friend swears that rabbit poop makes a huge difference in her gardens and we went to get some and I spread it all over. I didn't put any around my Royal Poinciana, but now I think it could be good fertilizer. Has anyone used rabbit poop in their tree and if so, were the results good? Is there any reason that I shouldn't?

[Silas_Sancona]

23 minutes ago, franchez said:

This may be an odd question, but I'm asking anyway. My friend swears that rabbit poop makes a huge difference in her gardens and we went to get some and I spread it all over. I didn't put any around my Royal Poinciana, but now I think it could be good fertilizer. Has anyone used rabbit poop in their tree and if so, were the results good? Is there any reason that I shouldn't?

Might be in the " Urine is good for palms " thread in the main section, but someone mentioned rabbit poo being an excellent fertilizer..  Only thing i'd wonder is  since RP's fix their own N.  the rabbit poo will just add more,  stimulating more tender green growth.

[franchez]

Well, more green growth is definitely something that I don't need, I have more leaves than any RP that I've ever seen. What does this mean?    "RP's fix their own N. "  I'm assuming N is Nitrogen, but what does it mean to "fix it?" 

[Silas_Sancona]

37 minutes ago, franchez said:

Well, more green growth is definitely something that I don't need, I have more leaves than any RP that I've ever seen. What does this mean?    "RP's fix their own N. "  I'm assuming N is Nitrogen, but what does it mean to "fix it?" 

yep, N = Nitrogen.. 

As far as " fixing " Nitrogen,  a majority of trees ( and other plants )  in the Pea family,  inc:  Royal Poinciana,  Tipuana,  Desert Ironwood, Palo Verde,  Mesquite,  etc..  produce nodules on their roots which contain certain types of RhizoBacteria which " Fix " Atmospheric Nitrogen into a form that can be used by the plants, and other plants nearby..  That is one reason un disturbed areas surrounding individual Mesquite, or groves of them can support a diverse array of plants below their canopy, while areas w/ a different type of tree, whose roots might not fix N only have a few things growing beneath their canopies..

Many Leguminous trees will also recycle N when they shed their leaves, helping to keep a balance of N available for the plants to use.. Found that putting raked up " Mesquite Mulch " on potted plants stimulated a burst of growth, in some cases, too much tender growth..

Edited June 7, 2022 by Silas_Sancona
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[Silas_Sancona]

23 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

yep, N = Nitrogen.. 

As far as " fixing " Nitrogen,  a majority of trees ( and other plants )  in the Pea family,  inc:  Royal Poinciana,  Tipuana,  Desert Ironwood, Palo Verde,  Mesquite,  etc..  produce nodules on their roots which contain certain types of RhizoBacteria which " Fix " Atmospheric Nitrogen into a form that can be used by the plants, and other plants nearby..  That is one reason un disturbed areas surrounding individual Mesquite, or groves of them can support a diverse array of plants below their canopy, while areas w/ a different type of tree, whose roots might not fix N only have a few things growing beneath their canopies..

Many Leguminous trees will also recycle N when they shed their leaves, helping to keep a balance of N available for the plants to use.. Found that putting raked up " Mesquite Mulch " on potted plants stimulated a burst of growth, in some cases, too much tender growth..

** I should add, There are some other plant families that possess Nitrogen fixing capabilities as well..

One of the more fascinating are Cycads.. Great article here:

https://www.indefenseofplants.com/blog/2017/10/2/the-nitrogen-fixing-abilities-of-cycads

[Silas_Sancona]

Still bloomin'....

Could there be a pod ( or two ) forming on it this year? ( Most obvious dead center of the tree in image #1 but noticed what looks like another when zoomed in in picture #2 as well )   Might have to walk down there later or tomorrow..

Edited September 4, 2022 by Silas_Sancona
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[Silas_Sancona]

Developing Seed pods confirmed:

Took a walk up the block to get a better look at the neighborhood tree to confirm what i thought i saw hanging off of it the other day..

Tough to get them all but definitely approx half a dozen seedpods forming on this tree.  While there could be others around general Phoenix that set pods, this is the first time i've seen -with my own eyes- pods on Royal poinciana anywhere in town, let alone here in Chandler that i have seen. 



Looks like they added in the next generation to the other side of their front yard ( lower right corner of the picture )..  Yes, that is a Papaya against the house to the left.

Of all the unexpected things i would have never guessed would grow here, let alone in -any- sun, if you look to the left of the Papaya, there is a clump of Basil.  Another house nearby  had a bunch of it growing in their yard ..in what would be full sun exposure ( front yard faces south ). May have to try some myself next year.

Noticed Moringa trees peeking out from a few more yards nearby also.

[franchez]

Those are definitely pods, is the tree blooming now? Papaya and Basil do really well here.

 

[Silas_Sancona]

1 minute ago, franchez said:

Those are definitely pods, is the tree blooming now? Papaya and Basil do really well here.

 

Yes.. Light compared to earlier on in the summer, but it hasn't completely stopped flowering since it started.

Have seen Papayas here and there around town, but did not realize Basil could take our flavor of heat and sun.

How has your summer been?

[franchez]

Frustrating! My RP is gorgeous, but still no blooms. 

I have raccoons for the first time ever that have decimated my iris beds, they dig up the rhizomes and eat them, they did that to other bulbs and now are munching on my water lilies in the pond.

I lost at least 100 different varieties of iris to rot, that's never happened before, between the rot and raccoons, I maybe have 1/4 left.

Trying to get the soil amended to start planting fall seeds, hopefully the critters stay away.

I have an inflo on one of my Plumeria seedlings, so that's good. I hope yours is going better.

[Silas_Sancona]

8 minutes ago, franchez said:

Frustrating! My RP is gorgeous, but still no blooms. 

I have raccoons for the first time ever that have decimated my iris beds, they dig up the rhizomes and eat them, they did that to other bulbs and now are munching on my water lilies in the pond.

I lost at least 100 different varieties of iris to rot, that's never happened before, between the rot and raccoons, I maybe have 1/4 left.

Trying to get the soil amended to start planting fall seeds, hopefully the critters stay away.

I have an inflo on one of my Plumeria seedlings, so that's good. I hope yours is going better.

Bummer,  sorry to hear.. As much as some people like having them around, Raccoons are a PITA for plant people growing stuff they like, or if you have a pond..

Not the worst of summers, but could have had more rain here.. We seemed to be the one spot in town that got skipped, ...or got the bare minimum rainfall during most of the storms. Lost stuff after i took down a rotted out Mulberry that was shading most of the yard where i'd had placed potted things, and a bunch of seedlings ( Not the Plumeria thankfully, haha ) but, that's how it goes sometimes..  Glad the worst of the heat is done.  Already planning out stuff that will get done over the next few months / replacement tree for the one i took down.

[Bob H]

The flagship specimen in Scottsdale at N 75th St and E 2nd St is in bloom in September.  TIP: See it's growth progression by looking at Google Street View.  You can select previous images that go back to July 2008!  At one point it appears to have been cut to the ground in 2013.  Also two 'stick' trees were planted on the east side of the Scottsdale City Court Building along N 75th St show in past street view ( Dec 2020) images and are VERY large at less than 2 years later as shown in 2nd picture.  

Much thanks from a newbie on all the info.  I planted my Royal Poinciana almost two months ago (will post pictures at two months which is later this week).

[franchez]

Beautiful! Thanks for sharing this, everyone can get them to bloom but me. 😪 It may not have been cut to the ground, winter may have done it, mine has died back to the ground twice, but luckily it recovered both times.