Flamboyant tree

[Dom Tuk]

Has anyone seen the flamboyant tree (Delonix regia) anywhere in the UK. Is there no strain that is tolerant to our weather. It does survive in places that have cold temperatures so why not here.

[jake-the-peg]

This site reports hardy to 35 F and possibly to 25 F

http://www.tropilab.com/delonix-reg.html

Sounds like it's marginal so if you live in the SouthWest you're probably OK otherwise you'd be at risk of loosing it. If you have a conservatory it might do OK in a large pot that you could bring in over the winter or you could try bubble wrapping it like you do with tree ferns.

That is always assuming you can get hold of one - it's classified as globally vulnerable  

Google has references of a site www.exoticplantsdirect.co.uk that appear to sell it but the site does not seem to be accessible currently.

[jake-the-peg]

Update: You can get seeds for it here:

http://www.jungleseeds.co.uk/SeedOrders/enter.html?lang=en-uk&target=d18.html

Although they reckon that it's hard to over-winter even in a heated greenhouse.

Not for the faint hearted I guess