Trees that go ka-bloom!
Asian Tulipwood tree in full bloom.
After the long dry months, the recent heavy rain has revived plant life around the island. Everywhere there is the sound of weed whackers as gardeners once again do battle with grass that’s knee-deep in no time.
The trees love it. After riding out the Dry with no leaves, many take a deep drink, sprout leaves and then burst into blossom.
One of the most spectacular is the Asian Tulipwood. It explodes into millions of tiny bright yellow flowers, which open in the early morning and, by the end of the day, are already dying off. The tree has plenty of buds in reserve, however, and will repeat the trick three or four times.
Flower of the Flame of the Forest. Photo by Stephen Lea.
These trees used to line much of the central reservation of the main airport highway but the local authorities appear to have taken against them for some reason, and have been busy hacking them down. Not a lot of tree-huggers in the Highways Office.
Another spectacular tree to look out for at this time of year is the Flame of the Forest, also known as the Royal Poinciana, which covers itself in extravagant red or orange flowers (there’s also a rarer variety with yellow flowers). This tree is no one-day wonder – it goes on flowering for weeks.
