This spectacular flowering tree is the Flamboyant, Delonix regia. It is also known as Royal Poinciana or Flame Tree. It belongs to the legume family, Fabaceae, and is native to the seasonally dry forests of northern Madagascar. Although it is now familiar throughout the Caribbean and tropical world, its natural range was once so poorly known that botanists did not rediscover it growing wild in Madagascar until the twentieth century.

The tree usually develops a broad, spreading crown that may become wider than the tree is tall. Its long, nearly horizontal branches create a natural umbrella, making a mature Flamboyant an excellent shade tree when it has enough room to grow.

The leaves are large but finely divided. Each leaf is split into many side branches, and each of those carries numerous tiny leaflets. This twice-divided structure is called bipinnate. It gives the crown a soft, fern-like appearance even though the tree itself may be quite substantial.

The flowers are the feature that gives the tree its name. They are large and usually brilliant scarlet or orange-red, appearing in clusters near the ends of the branches. When a tree is in full bloom, much of the crown may seem to be covered in flame.

Each flower has five broad petals. Four are usually similar in color, while the upper petal—sometimes called the banner petal—is often marked with white, yellow or deeper red. Those contrasting markings may help guide visiting insects toward the center of the flower.

In climates with a pronounced dry season, the tree may lose many of its leaves before flowering. With less foliage hiding the branches, the blossoms become even more dramatic.

After flowering, Flamboyant produces long, flat, woody seed pods. They begin green and flexible but eventually become dark brown, hard and sometimes more than a foot long. The dry pods may remain hanging on the tree for months and can make a rattling sound when the seeds loosen inside.

Because Flamboyant belongs to the legume family, its pod is related botanically to a bean or pea pod, although the seeds should not be regarded as an ordinary food.

The tree grows quickly in warm climates, but its spreading surface roots and broad crown require considerable space. Large roots may lift paving, while older branches can become heavy and vulnerable to breakage during strong winds or hurricanes.

Flamboyant has been planted so widely that many people assume it is native to the Caribbean, India or other tropical regions where it has become culturally familiar. Its true home, however, is Madagascar, where its remaining natural habitat is limited.

This is a tree whose entire structure contributes to the display: a wide umbrella-shaped crown, delicate fern-like leaves and great clusters of fiery flowers.

When a Flamboyant reaches full bloom, it does not simply add color to the landscape—it seems to set the whole canopy alight.