Hi Jirtulum and welcome to GoY, take a look at http://images.google.com/images?client=safari&rls=en&q=flamboyant+trees&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=g-P1SqDuKoWL4Qbn1qzgAw&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CCEQsAQwAw and see if it looks like any of the images. Not something we could grow easily in the UK.

Actually mine does. The only thing missing are the thorns. I wonder could some have thorns and some not? I guess I have to keep an eye out for those grown in nature and see if they look just like mine.

Thank you again

Just been checking - Caesalpina is generally spiny, but I'm not 100% certain that the Flamingo Tree itself is - as the family generally seems to be spiny, it probably should be, but again, don't know how spiny - might just be widely spaced small thorns, or lots of spiky thorns. the only reference to spines was in regard to Caesalpina generally, rather than this particular one. Sorry can't be more helpful.

J. I'd google and see what you come up with - I know I'm out of my depth here... What sort of shrubs grow well in where you live (this is purely for interest!)

I tried to google info before I found growsonyou.com. I did not get much clarification....I did but not any that helped me with this particular detail.

Anything tropical grows well here....although Tulum has poor soil quality most people bring in rich soil from 2 hours in land. Oleanders, elephant ears, etc grow well here.

I will now look up Caesalpina and compare

Bamboo. I think you have solved the case. The trees with thorns that I have seen are Caesalpinia. They have similiar leaves to the ones that Flamboyans have but Flamboyans have red flowers and Caesalpinas have yellow flowers. I actually thought that Flamboyans can also have yellow flowers but it does not seem to be the case. I am not certain that I do have a Flamboyan tree. Now thanks to you I think I also want to have a Caesalpina tree as well. Thank you for pointing me in the right direction.

Good luck!

I have experence here. Casalpinia is difrent tree to flambouyan (not "t"- comon mistak even in litrature). The propre name is Spathodea, and thorn devlep later from matur tree.

Derekf. Then it is still possible that I may have a Caesalpinia and not a Flamboyan. I guess it will not hurt to wait to see what color flowers will appear.

Caesalpinia si mor shrub than tree, delicat to, but Spathodea chunk. leaf difrent to. do leaf comprson with photo on net.

I thought Jiritulum was referring to Delonix (previously Poinciana) or Caesalpinia - Spathodea seems to be something different? Clarification please, Derek? Quite a lot of references on the web and its all a bit confusing...

er...yes....er....well......er...maybe i confus like you. For me, the flamboyan is Spathodea. A chunk tree of big high. Caesalpinia is small tree,with delicat branch. unlike wat say erlier, both have red/yelow flower, in that Spathodea is red or yelow, but Caesalpinia can be red, yelow, or red an yelow. more confus is that Caesalpinia can be red flower tree with some yelow, or yelow flower with som red. some flowewrs can be red and yellow combin with only some red or som yeloww. this mess dos not hapen with Spathodea.
Also, i make big mistak. well, it was 18 yr ago i grow thees. Spathodea is not flamboyan, but it was cmon for it to be caled that . .er . . wronly. Delonix is falmboyan, but Caesalpinia is somtim call Peacock Flower, but actuly Delonix is Peack Flower. Much confus by all.
If we get shot of flower i can be more cleer, as Caesalpinia has total difrent flower from Delonix an Spathodea,
I can help to add even more confus by tell yopu that Caesalpinia is call Bird of Paradise becos of it plumming flower trus, an we all no that Bird of Paradise is Strelitzia.
Do I no much? After this i decide yes, but it is of absultly no use at all!!!!!!!

Well it seems there is a lot of confusion then - one of the google references I tried for flamboyant tree showed me Caesalpina as being the family - other references didn't mention it at all. I take it, then, that Flamboyant Tree is actually Delonix, (still sometimes named Poinciana) and that Caesalpina may, or may not, be connected. Sorry about this Jiritulum - seems we've uncovered a nest of worms here!

Delonix is flambouyan ana big tree - very big!!! Caesalpinia is small tree an easy froms eed. Spathodea is simlar to Delonix from a far, but close difrent. both Delonix an Spathodea no easy from seed. Delonix flower simlar to Caesalpinia, but both difrent to Spathodea.
Oh, i got headache!!! Must go lie down with cupof tea an fairy cake!!!

lol Derek, me too...

ha ha. Just got to read these last comments. Alot of confusion indeed. But after google search and comparison I think we can deduce:
Delonix = flamboyan aka Poinciana after the person who first announced it to the world
Caesalpinia is another tree, similar but smaller and generally with yellow flowers
Not really sure what Spathodea is but from your help I am learning that it is a third variety of tree with similar to Poinciana (flamboyan) but not the same.
I thought I had asked about something obvious but I see now that I had a very good reason to think that I may be raising an impostor. Thanks for taking the time

no prob-just one thin - Caesalpinia is rare to see yellow. more usal to see red/orange/yellow mixing, an yes, it more a shrub/tree. Flambouyan is BIG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!