The Pride of Barbados
"The National Flower of Barbados"

What is the Pride of Barbados plant and why is it important to my island?

The flower that this Barbados plant bears is the national flower of the island. If you take a look at the Barbados Coat of Arms you will see a golden shield bearing two of these flowers.

This flower can also be seen on The Royal Standard of Barbados. This is the personal flag of Barbados of Queen Elizabeth The 2nd.

What is the scientific name of this plant?

The true scientific name of this plant is "Caesalpinia Pulcherrima". The plant is also called the Dwarf Poinciana or Barbados Flowerfence.

The Pride of Barbados Tree

What type of tree is it?

The Pride Of Barbados Plant With Butterfly

The Pride Of Barbados Plant With Butterfly

This Barbados plant is an evergreen shrub.

What do the leafs of the plant look like?

The leafs of the plant are green in colour and oval in shape. They usually grow to be about 9 inches in length.

How tall does the tree grow?

The tree grows fairly fast and can be up to 12 feet tall and spread 10 feet wide. The top of the tree is round in shape with wide spreading branches. The stems and branches of the tree also have sharp thorns or spines.

Does the plant grow fruit?

The plant does bear a type of pod shaped fruit that is about 5 inches in length. These pods are brown in colour and feel very hard. They are not edible so please don't try to eat them.

The Pride of Barbados Flower

How often does the tree blossom these flowers?

The tree blossoms all year round making it a great addition to any garden. The flowers have bright scarlet petals with yellow borders.

What colour are the flowers of this plant?

The flowers are usually a combination of red, orange and yellow. However the more rare tree bearing pink flowers does exist.

What does the pink pride of Barbados look like?

The pink species of the flower is even more beautiful than its more common red, orange or yellow counter part.

Here is a picture of the pink flower in all its glory.....

View more pictures of the Pride of Barbados flower

Growing And Propagating Pride of Barbados Seeds

How do I grow this plant?

This plant is propagated by seeds and before planting you should soak them in hot water overnight. They should then be planted in well aerated soil that allows for drainage.

If you do not plant the tree in well draining soil mushroom root rot will likely occur! If possible it is also a good idea to use clay or loam soil which can either be acidic or alkaline.

Where can I get seeds from?

You can purchase Caesalpinia Pulcherrima seeds online from Ebay for under $9.99 USD.

Taking Care Of The Pride of Barbados Plant

What type of climate does the tree like to grow in?

This plant grows in Barbados because it loves the sun and can grown in very dry soil. This is due to the trees great heat and drought resistant features. During our dry season we can go for weeks without rain, but this has no effect on the plant.

How do I take care of this Barbados plant?

If you want to grow one of these plants care is very important. Since the plant likes the sun it should be planted away from shade with direct exposure to the sun.

The branches of the tree will begin to fall to the floor as it grows. You therefore need to prune them. Tipping the branches will also help more flowers to blossom. The branches have thorns so care should be taken whenever you handle the plant.

In addition the plant is not affected by many pests.

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