Comments on: The flamboyant display of Caesalpinia pulcherrima (Dwarf Poinciana)

By: Jacqueline

Jacqueline — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 04:26:22 +0000

You’re most welcome, Richard. All the best and may your seedlings flourish and bloom abundantly to delight you.

By: Richard

Richard — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:02:42 +0000

Thank You for all the details. I plan to grow fifty or more of these . My seedlings are already three weeks old.

By: Jacqueline

Jacqueline — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 07:47:21 +0000

Thank you very much for the additional info, Ron! Very appreciated by us.

By: Ron

Ron — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 19:58:13 +0000

All the color forms mentioned above (except for the C. gilliesii) are varieties of C. pulcherrima. I wasn’t clear on that in my post above.

Crosses between the four color forms above provide additional flower colors to enjoy, though they will not breed true. I particularly like the cross between the pink and the wild-type red/orange where the intense red/orange color has a decided rose/pink cast.

By: Ron

Ron — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 16:56:35 +0000

The yellow form with red stamens is not C. pulcherrima, it is Caesalpinia gilliesii. The brilliant scarlet with yellow is the natural, wild-type color of this species. The pink form (“Rosea” also known as ‘Compton’) is basically a non-yellow mutation. The solid yellow variety (‘flava’) is a non-red mutation. And the most recent variety around is ‘Cream’, a combination of non-red and non-yellow. These are the true breeding (when selfed) combinations of the genetics involved. Hope this info helps!

By: Jacqueline

Jacqueline — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 15:37:43 +0000

Hi Tisha,

Probably a semi-hard or hard prune (which it can tolerate) will help to rejuvenate your aged shrubs and promote new growth, provided the roots are well established.
Or at least trim off the dead twigs and straggly stems or unwanted branches for better light penetration and air movement which will help to reduce stress on the plants.
Hope your plants will revive their health and give you much delight!

By: Tisha

Tisha — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 02:39:22 +0000

I recently moved into a house in Phoenix, AZ. The house that I moved into was a foreclosure and thus had not been lived in for around 2 years. The only plants in the yard were two caesalpinia pulcherrimas which had not received ANY care from the bank for 2 years. Surprisingly they are not dead, but look like they are struggling to hold on. My husband and I are currently watering them every other day to try and bring some life back to them. It doesn’t seem to be working very well. Do you have any suggestions for a way to revive my two red birds? I would so love for them to look as healthy as the plants in the pictures you have posted above!

By: Jacqueline

Jacqueline — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 15:22:21 +0000

Sorry, Zima… we have no idea at all about toxicity to pets.

By: Zima

Zima — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 13:28:44 +0000

Is this plant (tree), but to have around pets? They eat grass and stuff. Will the fallen flowers or leaves hurt them, if eaten?

By: Jacqueline

Jacqueline — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 17:18:27 +0000

You’re most welcome! Thanks for your appreciation, Eva!

By: Eva Perea

Eva Perea — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 20:55:57 +0000

I really like the detail u gave about the plant. thank u so much.

By: June Higginson

June Higginson — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:14:27 +0000

I have had a poincina for several years. Did not “feed” it for over a year. I have now been feeding it monthly for almost a year, and it is gorgeous.

Question: How often and how deeply should it be pruned?

Also, I found a “colony” of tiny ants on it this morning. Is that natural? I have been watering a good deal; my husband says that’s why: watering too much. I water it several times a week; generally for 30 minutes to several hours if I forget to turn it off.

I am going to copy the above material for a file. Amd. ot os a beautiful tree. Had only 5 or 6 blossoms last month.

Thanks for your help. June Higginson