[Photo No. T-43]

1. © Winston D. Munnings (Greeting Card Sample). Just the perfect vehicle for sending well wishes to that Special someone. They can also frame it too.

Royal Poinciana is a flamboyant tree in flower – some say the world’s most colorful tree. For several weeks in spring and summer it is covered with exuberant clusters of flame-red flowers, 4-5 in across. Even up close the individual flowers are striking: they have four spoon shaped spreading scarlet or orange-red petals about 3 in and one upright slightly larger petal (the standard) which is marked with yellow and white.

Royal poinciana gets 30-40 tall, but its elegant wide-spreading umbrella-like canopy can be wider than its height. Royal poinciana is deciduous in climates that have a marked dry season, but in Florida and other areas where the winter is not that much dryer than the summer, it is a semi-evergreen tree. Even the leaves are elegant: they are lacy and fernlike, twice-pinnate, and 12-20 in long with 20-40 pairs of primary leaflets (pinnae), each divided into 10-20 pairs of secondary leaflets (pinules). The dark brown pods are flat and woody, up to 24 in long and 2 in wide. A naturally occurring variety (var. flavida) has golden-yellow flowers.

Royal poinciana is native to Madagascar. It is widely cultivated and may be seen adorning avenues, parks and estates in tropical cities throughout the world. A casual visitor might think the Caribbean Islanders invented this tree they call simply “flamboyant.” Poinciana frequently escapes cultivation and establishes in frost-free climates, including extreme southern Florida. (Source: Floridata)

Please feel free to _Send Me An Email if you have any questions or comments about this image. Incidentally, the information provided is courtesy of Wikipedia._ Since I do receive questions from time to time about My Camera Gear, the following apply*…*

Camera
Nikon D300 (Two Bodies) ~ Nikon D200 (Back-Up)

Lens
AF Nikon 50mm (F/1.8)
AF Nikon 85mm (F/1.8)
AF Nikon 24-70mm (F/2.8)
AF Nikon 80-200mm (F/2.8)
AF Nikon 70-210mm (F4 – 5.6)
AF Nikon 105mm (F/2.8) Micro Lens
AF Nikon 200mm (F/2.8) Micro Lens
AF Nikon 300mm (F/4)