DELONIX regia (Royal Poinciana)

This royal poinciana (Delonix regia) is field grown and lifted ex ground, so you skip a decade of waiting. It reaches around 10m tall and about 12m across, and covers itself in scarlet and orange flowers through the hottest months. Fast growing and built for heat, but frost tender, so this is a tree for tropical and subtropical gardens only.

Why you'll love it

• A mature tree from day one. You are buying established trunk calliper and a formed canopy, not a sapling.
• Flowering on a grand scale. Red and orange bloom across the whole crown for weeks, alive with bees and butterflies.
• Shade wider than the tree is tall. A 12m canopy over a 10m trunk covers a lawn or an entertaining area.
• Made for hard heat. Heat, humidity and salt tolerant, and genuinely drought tolerant once the roots are away.

Where it works best

Feature tree on acreage and coastal blocks. On an open lawn you get the full spreading form and usable shade, and salt tolerance holds it up on exposed northern blocks where many flowering trees will not.

Driveways and avenues. Allow 12m to 15m between trunks so each crown reaches full width.

Two honest warnings. Surface roots spread wide and lift paving, so keep the trunk at least 10m from buildings, paths, pools and services. The seed pods are not safe for pets to chew, so rake them up if you have a dog.

Growing royal poinciana in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, all day, in tropical or subtropical gardens: coastal and far north Queensland, northern New South Wales and the Top End. Frost kills young growth.

Soil. Not fussy, provided drainage is good; it does well on sandy coastal ground. On heavy clay that holds water through the wet season, plant on a raised mound.

Water and feed. An ex ground tree loses part of its root system in the lift, so water deeply twice a week for the first two summers, then only in dry spells. Slow release fertiliser in early spring is enough; heavy nitrogen pushes leaf at the cost of flower.

Pruning. Prune while establishing to keep one dominant leader and well spaced limbs. Long horizontal branches carry serious weight at maturity, so early structural work keeps it safe later.

What to expect when it arrives

Sold as a single advanced ex ground specimen, not by pot size. It arrives heavy, with a root ball, and needs machinery, a prepared hole and a crew ready on the day. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost.

Poinciana is deciduous through winter and the dry season, so a tree arriving in the cooler months can look bare. That is normal; it flushes as the weather warms. Expect a season of establishment before strong growth, and stake it until the roots hold. Delivered Australia wide, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Poinciana growing guide and flame tree comparison
• Browse all ex ground advanced trees
• Container grown poinciana in smaller sizes
• See more flowering trees

Common questions

What does ex ground mean?

Grown in open ground and lifted with a root ball rather than raised in a pot. Far more mature stock for the money, at the cost of a heavier tree and two demanding years of watering.

Can I grow one in a cool southern garden?

No. It is frost tender and needs tropical or subtropical conditions to flower properly. In cool southern gardens it rarely comes through its first winter.

How far from the house should I plant it?

At least 10m, and further if you can. The canopy alone spreads to 12m, and the shallow roots will find paving, pipes and pool shells.