Family: Fabaceae
Common name: Yellow flame, Copperpod, Copper pod, Yellow flame-tree, Yellow poinciana
Yellow flame trees are common roadside trees in India, Singapore and other Asian countries, because they are good shade trees. They are also very drought-tolerant, making them ideal for the warm, tropical weather. Yellow flame trees grow to a height of 20-25 meters with a thick trunk and umbrella-like crown.
The leaves look very similar to that of Gulmohar trees, bipinnate with 16-20 secondary leaflets and 10-20 pairs of oval, dark-green tertiary leaflets. Yellow flame tree is deciduous; the leaves turning yellow or brown and falling, but the tree does not become bare completely.
The beautiful yellow flowers grow on elongated racemes; each raceme having fully-opened yellow flowers at the base, and unopened greenish-brown buds towards the tip. The flowers have thin, flimsy petals like paper tissues; and very prominent stamens and style.
During flowering season, the tree is covered with flaming yellow flowers, giving it the name ‘Yellow Flame’. The trees when in bloom look very similar to the Markhamia trees with thick bunches of yellow flowers.
The flowers then produce seedpods that are 8-10 cm long and 2-3 cm wide. They are copper-brown at first, and become black on ripening; containing up to 4 seeds. These seedpods stay on the tree for a very long time before dropping off. These copper-brown seedpods give the tree its name Copperpod.
Yellow flame trees are usually planted as ornamental trees, and also for shade. But they also have some medicinal properties. The bark is used to treat ulcers, dysentery, tooth pain, sprains and muscle disorders. It is also used to make a yellow-brown dye primarily used on fabrics. Timber is used to make furniture and cabinets.
Propagation is from seeds.
Photo Courtesy: love4gardening
