Mature flame trees are easy to care for, young plants need a little more attention. Here are our tips for watering, fertilizing and cutting.
The flame tree - botanically also known as Delonix Regia - is a very popular ornamental plant that originally occurs in the tropics. Although it absolutely cannot withstand colder temperatures and frost, more and more fans in this country are relying on the extraordinary plant. Why is that? The unusual, decorative look of the tree, which offers a real firework display in the garden with its orange-red blossoms and pointed, densely covered leaves. If the tree, which belongs to the carob family, bears fruit, these form long drop-shaped arrangements, which are considered particularly spectacular by enthusiasts. If you want to buy a Flamboyant, you should know beforehand whether you can manage it at all with your own we alth of experience. So how easy is the flame tree to take care of and what must not be neglected?
Consider the origin of the Flame Tree
Anyone who wants to grow a flame tree should research its origin and remember that the plant comes from the tropics and can grow up to 17 meters high there. The flame tree's canopy grows quite spread out, but is dense with pointed leaves that cluster in clusters, providing local people with plenty of shade, which is very welcome given the high temperatures.
As flame tree is a tropical plant, it should be expected that it prefers high temperatures and lots of sunlight. However, moisture is just as important for the tree. The flame tree does not tolerate frost and temperatures below 10 degrees well, it only bears fruit in sunny and very warm summer months - in rainy summers there are no fruits.
Important information about the location of the flame tree - how can the flamboyant hibernate?
First of all, it should be clear that the flame tree should never be planted directly in the garden soil. Even in more temperate regions, frost still occurs in the cold months, so there is a very high risk that the flame tree will not tolerate the temperatures and will die. For this reasonthe flame tree is only kept as an ornamental plant in this country, which finds enough space for its large root system in a bucket.
In summer, the flame tree can easily be kept outside on the balcony, in the garden or on the terrace - here it needs a sunny and wind-protected place. However, as fall and winter approach, the crop should be moved to a heated greenhouse or home for overwintering. It must not be left outside under any circumstances, not even with anti-freeze covers. It's important to note that even in the pot, you shouldn't let the flame tree get too big - the plant grows very quickly, so it can become very heavy with the pot in place, making it more difficult to bring the tree back in for the winter.
If you bring the flamboyant indoors for the winter or if you want to keep it indoors all year round, you also have to choose an appropriate location. This should be sunny, or at least very bright, with temperatures of around 20 degrees. In general, it is better to bring the flame tree inside a little earlier than too late.
Important information about watering and fertilizing the flame tree
If you want to buy a flame tree, it's quite easy to take care of the mature tree - but it's a bit more complex with growing young trees and seedlings. A mature tree needs only moderate watering, fertilizer is only needed when in bloom, if at all.
A young plant, on the other hand, needs plenty of water because a lot of moisture is useful for the growth of the plant - however, no waterlogging should occur, which is why loose, air-permeable soil is essential for flame tree young plants. In the summer months, young plants should be fertilized every three weeks - from May to around October. Since the tree only flowers after a few years, its flowering can be supported with some fertilizer. Otherwise, caring for the tree turns out to be quite simple: if you pay attention to sufficient sunlight, avoid waterlogging and wind, you cannot do too much wrong with the flame tree. The fertilizer should be specially formulated for potted plants to provide the flame tree with exactly the nutrients it needs.
Tips for pruning the flame tree
Since the flame tree is associated with strong growth, it should be pruned and pruned regularly from an early age so that it remains a reasonable size as an ornamental plant. Since regular pruning encourages branching of the crown, this helpshelping to grow the treetop particularly densely and attractively. The cut is always carried out from top to bottom, with shoots that are too long being trimmed. A certain shape can also be achieved over time in order to make the flame tree look particularly magnificent. In any case, it is important that the growth of the flame tree is controlled by regular pruning in order to achieve a he althy, strong and not too large plant that is easy to care for.
Don't lose sight of growth
As already mentioned, the flame tree is characterized by strong and very fast growth - seedlings, for example, can be expected from planted seeds after about a week. When it comes to care, it is therefore particularly important to regularly repot the young tree and to exchange it for larger buckets even if it is growing strongly, so that its roots have enough space. You can also check whether the root system is intact and whether the soil is moist.
The most important care criteria in brief
- bring it into the house, the garage or a heated greenhouse early for the winter
- Temperature for wintering must not be below 10 degrees Celsius
- choose a sunny, warm and sheltered location
- offer sufficiently large pots as living space
- Water young plants frequently, but avoid waterlogging
- Fertilize young plants every three weeks during the warm months
- Water mature plants only moderately and only fertilize when flowering
- Pruning regularly - right from the start to avoid overgrowth and get the right shape
- Repot frequently as a young plant, give mature plants enough space for the root system
- Nutrient-rich, air-permeable and loose soil is preferred
- Fertilize with conventional fertilizer for potted plants
As you can see, you don't have to be an expert to grow one of the magnificent flame trees as an ornamental plant.