Flamboyant is native to Madagascar though it is becoming very rare in its area of origin. However, this deciduous tree is grown throughout the lowland tropics. It prefers sandy soils. In Uganda it is widely planted as an avenue tree in towns below 1,600 m. In Kampala, Flamboyant can be found at Kololo Hill drive, Elizabeth avenue, Mawanda road, within Makerere university among other places.

A medium-sized deciduous tree with an umbrella crown, reaching a maximum 15 m.

BARK: grey, smooth.

LEAVES: light green and feathery each compound leaf to 45 cm long, with leaflets less than 1 cm.

FLOWERS: often appear before the leaves and remain sometime, brilliant clusters, scarlet to orange, sometimes yellow, each flower up to 10 cm with 5 petals, 1 cream, heavily spotted.

FRUIT: conspicuous long woody pods, flat and heavy to 75 cm long, remain many months on the tree. They break open to release oblong seeds about 1 cm long.

Medicine: leaves, flowers, seed and bark . http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php id=Delonix+regia

The tree yields a thick mucilage of gum, produced in yellowish or reddish-brown warty tears.

The seeds contain gum that may find use in the textile and food industries.

The hard, elongated seeds are occasionally used as beads and to make necklaces.

The aqueous extracts of the plant contain allelopathic compounds, including phenolic acids, alkaloids and flavonoids that can be used as natural herbicides and pesticides to increase the productivity of agricultural crops. 

Agro-forestry: provides shade in tea plantations, compounds etc., can be planted as live fence posts, can be grown for erosion control, and for soil rehabilitation and improvement through atmospheric nitrogen fixation, provides bee forage (are a source of pollen for honey bees).

The large pods as well as the wood are used for fuel.

Edible: gum obtained from the tree is used in the food industry. http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php id=Delonix+regia

An ornamental tree