Botanical name: Delonix regia
May flower, Flame tree, royal poinciana or Gulmohar (Hindi) was discovered in the early 19th century in its native Madagascar by botanist Wensel Bojer. Gulmohar is a flamboyant tree in flower - some say the world's most colorful tree. For several weeks in spring and summer it is covered with exuberant clusters of flame-red flowers, 4-5 in across. Even up close the individual flowers are striking: they have four spoon shaped spreading scarlet or orange-red petals about 3 in long, and one upright slightly larger petal (the standard) which is marked with yellow and white. The delicate, fern-like leaves are composed of small individual leaflets, which fold up at the onset of dusk. Gulmohar gets 30-40 ft tall, but its elegant wide-spreading umbrella-like canopy can be wider than its height. Gumohar is naturalized in India and is widely cultivated as a street tree. This photograph was taken from the CSRTI, Mysore campus on 13th April, 2012.
