English
English
By ATSUO BEPPU
Born in Tokyo in 1938. Passed his boyhood on Amami-oshima island. Moved to Amami again in 1974 from Tokyo. Interested in taking pictures, shooting videos and fishing.











【 ROYAL POINCIANA 】
(Botanical name: Delonix regina )


The Royal Poinciana is a tropical deciduous tree native to Madagascar. It is also called "Flame Tree". It is not clear when this tree was first introduced into Amami, but today it is pretty popular as a garden plant. It belongs to the pea family.
 
The clear vermilion flowers with five petals, which are ten to twelve centimeters in diameter, bloom from early summer to mid Autumn. The light green tint of the leaves and the vermilion of the flowers form a clear contrast and shine vividly against the sky. In Amami, the flowers seem to be in full bloom from early to mid September.
 
The Japanese name "Ho-oh-boku" as well as the English names "Royal Poinciana", "Flame Tree" and "Peacock Flower" are all likely to come from the shape of the flower. Interestingly, there is even another English name for it,"Flamboyant".
 
 
 
 




 
.