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SPATHODEA CAMPANULATA - AFRICAN TULIP TREE.
SynonymsSpathodea danckelmaniana, Spathodea nilotica, Spathodea tulipifera. Common name African tulip tree, Afrikanischer tulpenbaum, Amapola, Baton du sorcier, Fakkelboom, Fireball, Flame of the forest, Fountain tree, Immortel éntranger, Nandi flame, Panchut-panchu, Pichkari, Squirt tree, Tulipán africano, Tulipier du Gabon. Family Bignoniaceae (Trumpet Creeper family). Overview Originally from Equatorial Africa, the evergreen African tulip tree can be found abundantly in Suriname; it is a spectacular flowering tree. It is a fast-growing, about 80' tall, ever-blooming tree. The wood is known to be very soft and brittle. The trunk is light gray and somewhat buttressed. When young, the leaves are bronze; deep glossy-green at maturity. Large clusters of velvety, bronze-green, kidney-shaped buds are to see at the ends of the branches. Flame of the forest is an ornamental tree in the tropics. The unopened buds contain water, which squirt when squeezed or pierced, for instance by birds. Out of each bud come, large orange-red flowers and because of those the tree is planted as an ornamental. The many seeds (about 500) are in an 8" long legume that breaks open when it falls from the tree. These seeds are very small with transparent winglets. There is also a rare yellow variety of the African tulip tree called Lutea. The bark and leaves are widely used in Traditional Medicine in Ghana. The bark is used in wound healing and especially burn healing. The bark and leaves show a wide spectrum of antibacterial activity including anti-malarial activity. Aqueous alcoholic decoctions of the leaves shows promise to be used for the treatment of malaria. The stem bark decoction has shown hypoglycemic activity in mice. Ethanol leaf extracts show anticonvulsant activity. Hardiness USDA zone 10 - 11. Propagation Seeds and cuttings. Flowers are pollinated by birds and bats and the very light seeds are dispersed by the wind. Culture Full sun; moist rich soil, has some salt tolerance, foliage will be killed at 28 - 30° F, but the roots survive down to 20° F. These trees are grown for shade and tropical effects. They grow well in Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Florida. Plant in frost free areas and/or protect from frost. |
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