Royal poinciana tree Said to be the most beautiful tree in the world.

[Jerry]

When the Daily News garden writer was here he was amazed to see one.  He said "I never heard of one surviving the valley winters."  he was right, it didn't.
This time thay come indoors for the cold season.
They were grown from seed from Sean!

[Jonna]

That's the same as a Flamboyán in Spanish I believe.  They are beautiful.  They are street trees here, huge trees in the dividers of many of the large avenues and they are all in bloom. It's a gorgeous site to drive down the street with these huge arcs of red flowered trees overhead.  I thought about one for my yard but the architect said the roots could invade places you don't want them and I don't really have room for one they get so huge.   I have heard that they don't like temps under 50F for long.  How will you keep it small enough to put in the garage for the winter?

[Jerry]

I assume the container will restrict it's growth.  I would keep it in a sunny spot in the house.
At least that's the plan.

[MikeW]

Nice Jerry - I have blood on my hands with that one. That or the kaffirboom (Coral tree) were my choices for the signature in my backyard to cast some shade around. Either one, of course, had I got them to grow, would have rewarded me with exactly the look I wanted on my 164th birthday!

Cheers,

Mike

[Sean]

Yours is quite large now Jerry,

I still have 2 of them in a small pot and I want to try to Bonsai them. I still have many seeds, they came from our late friend Ken Clark aka KC from his property just south of Puerto Vallarta.

Cheers,
Sean

[Jerry]

I have 2 Sean.  The one that was in the ground succumbed to the cold. It was close to 8 feet!

[magoo]

Link to nice pic

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Royal_Poinciana.jpg

[Jerry]

wow to the photo.  I never saw likle that baby!

[Jonna]

The ones here are much bigger than that.  They cover 4 lanes of traffic from the divider and are several stories high.  The tops are covered in the blooms, it's an incredible sight.  I was looking at some of them today and trying to figure out how I could get a picture but I don't think I can.  I can't get far enough away or high enough to really get the shot, I'd need a panorama or access to a nearby roof.  Plus, I'm not up to standing out in traffic in this heat trying to take a picture 

[Jerry]

Jonna here's how.
Pick a spot, plant your feet firmly and take 2 or 3 shots.  Turn your body for each one.   Now print them and tape together like a puzzle.  Scan and viola!    It works!!

[Jonna]

hmmm.  I've seen software that stitches pics together too but I've never tried it.  The think is that they bloom on the top and I can't get very far back from them due to buildings, traffic, etc.  So, getting the whole tree would be hard.  I'll take my camera with when we leave in a bit to go visit a friend and if I can find a spot that has a good shot I'll try.  Actually, Mimi is a better photographer than I am so I'll challenge her with it and she may figure out a way.