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?
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.....
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.
ADD TO YOUR SOCIAL BOOKMARKS:BlinkDel.icio.usDigg FurlGoogleSimpySpurlTechnoratiY! MyWeb