Poinciana tree

How to identify a poinciana

Poinciana has a broad, spreading crown and a fairly smooth grey to pale brown trunk, often slightly buttressed at the base on older trees. The leaves are large and fern-like, up to 60 cm long, and divided twice into hundreds of small oblong leaflets. Clusters of big flowers with five crinkle-edged scarlet or orange petals appear near the branch tips; the top petal is larger and streaked with yellow or white. Flat, woody pods 20 to 60 cm long follow and turn dark brown to black. Brisbane City Council's street list also includes poinciana with yellow flowers (var. flavida); don't confuse it with Peltophorum, the tree usually called yellow poinciana.

Growing a poinciana in Brisbane

Gardening Australia has named the poinciana as the tree that did most to shape Brisbane's character, and it was once a standard street tree in the city's older suburbs. Its flowers herald summer and the start of the storm season. Brisbane City Council still lists it for streets in its coastal, undulating plains and higher land precincts, including under power lines lower than 8 metres. It prefers soil that isn't too acidic, around pH 6.5 to 7, and trees grown from seed can take ten years or more to flower.

What to watch out for

Roots are the main worry. Unitywater lists poinciana among trees not to plant near water and sewer pipes, and the roots can damage footpaths, brickwork and masonry. Old leaflets drop in spring and clog pool filters, and the big woody pods hang on for months before falling. It isn't on Brisbane City Council's weed list, but it occasionally self-seeds into bushland in south-east Queensland, so pull out any seedlings.

• Mess. Old leaves drop in spring and the fine leaflets clog pool filters, and the long woody pods hang on for months before falling.
• Size. Its spreading crown can reach about 10 metres across, so it doesn't suit a small yard.
• Seedlings. It occasionally naturalises in south-eastern Queensland, and saplings have been recorded in suburban Brisbane bushland.

Pruning and care

Poincianas need little pruning once their framework is set. Remove dead, damaged or crossing branches, and keep low limbs clear of driveways and roofs as the crown spreads. If a tree is slow to flower, Gardening Australia suggests dolomite in autumn and a phosphorus fertiliser about six weeks later, because poincianas prefer a soil pH of 6.5 to 7. Young trees grown from seed can take ten years or more to bloom. Big limbs over roofs or wires are a job for a qualified arborist with the right gear.

• Tree pruning
• Tree removal
• Stump grinding
• Tree health assessment