Grow royal poinciana in full sun, soil that drains, and a frost-free site. It is Delonix regia, also sold as flamboyant or flame tree. Dwarf poinciana is a different, smaller shrub.
Give it full sun, soil that drains, and a frost-free site
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Light | Full sun all day | Do not grow it in shade if you want a full canopy of flowers |
| Water | Water a new tree until it is established, then only in a severe drought | Do not keep the soil soggy, and do not water a mature tree on a weekly calendar |
| Soil | Soil that drains — clay, loam, or sand | Do not plant it in a wet low pocket |
| Site | A large, frost-free lawn with room for a 40 to 60 foot canopy | Do not squeeze it into a small yard, or plant it where a hard frost will hit |
royal poinciana is a fast tropical tree with ferny, bipinnate leaves and a wide umbrella crown. It reaches about 30 to 40 feet tall and often spreads wider than it is tall, so give it a large open lawn. [1] Keep the soil moist the first season. Once the roots are down, water only in a severe drought. [2] If nights drop near 45°F, cover a young tree with a sheet. A hard frost kills new wood. [3] Plant the tree on Planting Royal Poinciana. Start seed on How to Grow Royal Poinciana from Seed.
How much sun does a royal poinciana need?
Give it full sun all day. Shade makes a thin canopy and fewer flowers.
How often should I water a royal poinciana?
Water a new tree until it is established. After that, water only in a severe drought. Do not keep the soil soggy.
Grow a young tree in a pot you can move if frost will hit
A young tree will grow in a pot with a drainage hole while you wait for warm weather. Use a mix that drains, keep it in full sun, and move the pot inside or cover it if frost is coming. This is a landscape tree, not a houseplant. Put it in the ground once it has outgrown that pot.
- Use a pot with a drainage hole and a mix that drains.
- Keep the pot in full sun outdoors in warm weather.
- Move or cover it if frost is coming, then plant it in the ground when the tree is too large for the pot.
Train the branches in late March, before spring growth
The wood is weak in wind, so train a strong frame while the tree is young. Cut in late March into April, just before spring growth starts. Raise the major limbs to 8 to 12 feet so you can walk under the canopy, and shorten any limb that is half the diameter of the trunk or more, so the crotch stays strong. Do not hit the lower trunk with a line trimmer.
- Prune in late March or early April, before spring growth starts.
- Raise the major limbs to 8 to 12 feet from the ground.
- Shorten any limb that is half the diameter of the trunk or more.
- Cut dead or broken wood after a storm, and leave the umbrella shape.
When do I prune it?
Late March into April, before spring growth. Raise the major limbs and keep them thinner than half the trunk.
Not a dwarf poinciana — and not a jacaranda
Dwarf poinciana, also sold as peacock flower or Pride of Barbados, is Caesalpinia, a 10 to 20 foot shrub with prickles and long red stamens. See How to Grow Bird of Paradise Bush if that is the plant on the tag. [4] This tree has no thorns, a 40 to 60 foot canopy, and large orange-red flowers with a broader banner petal.
Jacaranda has ferny leaves too, but the flowers are purple trumpets, and the leaflets are coarser. See How to Grow Jacaranda if the bloom is lavender. Flame of the forest is Butea, with trifoliate leaves and pea flowers on leafless wood — see How to Grow Flame of the Forest. Coral tree is Erythrina — see How to Grow Coral Tree. Chinese flame tree is Koelreuteria — see How to Grow Golden Rain Tree. Illawarra flame is Brachychiton — see How to Grow Australian Bottle Tree. A peacock plant is a houseplant; this is a landscape tree.
Is dwarf poinciana the same tree?
No. Dwarf poinciana is Caesalpinia, a prickly shrub. Royal poinciana is the large umbrella tree.
Is a jacaranda a royal poinciana?
No. Jacaranda flowers are purple. This tree opens orange-red clusters in late spring and summer.
Give it full sun, draining soil, and a frost-free lawn. Water until it is established, train the young frame before spring growth, and do not buy a dwarf poinciana or a jacaranda as this tree.
FAQ
How long until it flowers?
A young tree often takes five years, and some take longer. Buy a tree that is already flowering if you do not want to wait.
What about a yellow royal poinciana?
A yellow form is the same species with the same sun, drainage, and frost-free site. A yellow poinciana in a shop is sometimes a different tree, Peltophorum.
Can I keep it as a bonsai?
A young tree will sit in a pot for a season. The landscape tree wants a large open lawn. Do not treat a bonsai dish as the usual home.
Are the long pods a crop?
The woody pods drop in spring and make litter. Rake them. They are not a fruit crop.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions -
https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/trees-and-shrubs/trees/royal-poinciana/ - [2] UF/IFAS EDIS -
https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/ST228 - [3] Hunker -
https://www.hunker.com/13428687/how-to-care-for-a-royal-poinciana-tree/ - [4] North Carolina Extension -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/caesalpinia-pulcherrima/
This note is part of Delonix Guides.
More first-season notes by plant are gathered in How to Grow Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors