TULIP TREE
Family – Bignoniaceae
Scientific name – Spathodea campanulate
Common names –
1) Squirt Tree, Syringe Tree, Scarlet Bell Tree, Bell
Flambeau, Fountain tree and sometimes
wrongly Flame tree in English.
2) Rugtoora in Hindi.
3) Patade in Telugu.
4) Patadi in Tamil.
Growing
areas –
1) This tree originally
came from tropical Africa and then brought Sri Lanka and India.
2) It grows well in
tropical countries, and mostly in drier area.
3) In the moist soil
it does not grow ae well large as in drier areas.
General
Information –
1) The wood of this
tree is very soft, due to this the branches are easily broken, therefore this
tree can easily been damage by the wind.
2) It is fast
growing, tall and deciduous in the dry areas, in moist areas it has medium
height and it is semi-evergreen.
3) It is narrow
slender tree with upright main branches and straight trunk.
4) The bark of this
tree is light grey and rough.
Leaves,
flowers, fruit and uses of the Tulip Tree :
Leaves
of the Tulip Tree –
1) The leaves are
deep green oval which fallen during February to March.
2) They are coarse
and deeply marked veins.
Flowers
of the Tulip Tree –
1) The flowers are
also appear in February and March but often go on flowering into monsoon.
2) There is a second flowering season from October to December.
3) First, velvety olive-green buds appear in huge bunches at the end of the branches followed by the blooms of orange, bright red and dark red which are beautiful to look.
4) When the flower buds are squeezed a jet of water comes out.
Fruit
of the Tulip Tree –
1) This has fruits in moist areas is difficult to see.
2) But in drier areas or tropical areas this problem not happens and the fruits are appear.
3) The fruits are lanced-shaped, smooth, wood-like and dark brown, containing winged seeds.
Uses of
the Tulip Tree –
1) This trees are planted often for their beauty.
2) In Africa the fruits are boiled and the poisonous liquid is obtained which hunters use to kill the prey.
3) The soft wood won’t burn and is seldom used except for the sides of blacksmiths’ bellows.
Watch the video for more information :
