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Bignoniaceae
African Tulip Tree
Spathodea campanulata
Tropical fire, drama, vitality.
- Family
- Bignoniaceae
- Genus
- Spathodea
- Native to
- Tropical Africa
- Bloom season
- Year-Round In Tropics
- Type
- Evergreen tropical tree
- Height
- 10–25 m
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil
- Rich, well-drained
- Water
- Moderate to high
- Hardiness
- 10–11
- Lifespan
- 50+ years
Did you know
- The closed flower buds hold water, and squeezing them will make the bud spray a stream — earning the tree the playful nickname 'fountain tree' or 'squirt tree' to children across the tropics.
- African tulip tree is one of the brightest-flowering trees in the world, and Hawaiian and Caribbean hillsides flame orange-red when entire stands bloom together.
- Despite the name, it's not related to true tulips — the cup-shaped flowers just resemble tulip blooms when seen from below.
- It's invasive in many tropical regions, including Hawaii, Fiji, and parts of Australia, where it crowds out native vegetation and is on the IUCN list of 100 worst invasive species.
- The hard wood is used for drum-making across central Africa and the soft seedpod fluff is used as bedding material for some traditional fishing nets.
Color meanings
Red
Burning brilliance