Delhi – Flamboyant
Common Name: Royal Poinciana, flame tree, fire tree, May-flower tree
Local Name: Gulmohar (Hindi), Radhachura/Krisnachura (Bengali)
Scientific Name: Delonix regia (Boj. ex Hook.) Raf
Description: A middle-sized deciduous tree, the Gulmohar tree has been planted in many tropical and subtropical countries because of its ornamental brilliance. The scarlet flowers of the Gulmohar tree grow in loose clusters, each of which has five spoon-shaped petals with wrinkly edges. The flowers bloom in April and May, or when the tree gets an additional water supply apart from the regular groundwater. The fern-like leaves of the tree start to turn yellow and shed during November. The tree remains completely bare until March. By the end of March, new leaves start filling the branches of the tree.
Importance: The light-brown bark of the Flamboyant tree facilitates easy hole excavations, thereby making it a favorite among birds like Common Myna, Coppersmith Barbet, and many more cavity-nesting birds. However, the tree’s shallow root system, makes it vulnerable to damage during storms.