Other Names:  Abyssinian Coral Tree, Lucky Bean Tree, Flame Tree

Description:

A deciduous tree with an upright, spreading habit on a corky, furrowed trunk; dazzling orange-red flower clusters before the leaves in late winter until possibly early summer; attractive large green leaves; attracts hummingbirds

Ornamental Features

Red Hot Poker Tree features showy clusters of orange tubular flowers with red overtones at the ends of the branches from late winter to early spring before the leaves. It has attractive dark green foliage with tan undersides. The large fuzzy round leaves are highly ornamental but do not develop any appreciable fall color. The fruits are showy tan pods displayed from late spring to early summer. The warty gray bark adds an interesting dimension to the landscape.

Landscape Attributes

Red Hot Poker Tree is a multi-stemmed deciduous tree with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively coarse texture can be used to stand it apart from other landscape plants with finer foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance tree, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It is a good choice for attracting bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Red Hot Poker Tree is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Shade

Planting & Growing

Red Hot Poker Tree will grow to be about 45 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 30 feet. It has a high canopy of foliage that sits well above the ground, and should not be planted underneath power lines. As it matures, the lower branches of this tree can be strategically removed to create a high enough canopy to support unobstructed human traffic underneath. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more.

This tree should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for xeriscaping or the moisture-conserving landscape. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This species is not originally from North America, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets.