African Tulip Tree (Spathodea campanulata): Fountain of Flame Flowers

African tulip tree (Spathodea campanulata), also called flame of the forest, fountain tree, or firebell, is a fast-growing, evergreen tree with pinnate leaves and spectacular, terminal clusters of large, cup-shaped, orange-scarlet flowers with frilly yellow edges. The flower buds hold water, a delight for children.

Growth

Reaches 40–80 feet tall in tropics; smaller in subtropics. The wood is brittle. It can be invasive in some tropical regions (check local status). The seed pods are long, boat-shaped, and woody.

Culture

Full sun; well-drained soil. Regular water. Prune only dead wood. Hardy in zones 10–11. The fallen flowers create a colorful carpet.

Taxonomy

• Family: Bignoniaceae
• Genus: Spathodea
• Species: campanulata
• Synonym: Spathodea nilotica