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If any of you were to have an African tulip tree in your yard, would you take it out, or leave it be ?
It is at the front of our lot, and the blooms fall in the road.
A neighbor, down the street, dislikes it because it is a weed tree.
I realize the issues involved with it in the Pacific islands , but it seems , as with any other invasive weed item, as long as you stay on top of it , there is no problem.
Greg
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God, Greg...I've been trying to root one with no success...(stop the yelling!!)...you are lucky to have one I think they're pretty.
Carrie
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Carrie ,
There's actually a couple of semi-babies under the main tree.
I have already attempted to transplant one to the back of the lot. It was, as I believe the other 2 also, on a root coming from the main tree.
The transplant looks a bit rough at the moment, as it has been dry and directly in the sun.
We'll see.
Greg
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The African tulip tree is considered a pest in Hawai'i, but it does have some pretty flowers and a lovely form when mature. The yellow flowered variety is actually a sterile hybrid, so it makes a great, non-invasive alternative for your landscape. They can get to be pretty massive trees though. (If you haven't already, check out the older ones in Wailoa Park off of Kamehameha.) There are so many other great trees you could replace it with that might work better near a road. Besides, do you really want to spend your chill time whacking back unruly trees? 
Aloha,
Mitzi
Uluhe Design
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Uluhe Design
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Mitzi, there is a tree on Hwy 11 that is in full bloom right now, it's a low tree that has a canopy like a rain tree and clumps of bright red flowers all over it. Do you know which one I mean? It's beautiful. Probably close to the Zoo area...
Carrie
royal poinciana grows with a big flowering canopy like an umbrella; it's more red-orange than red ...
I wouldn't try to transplant an African tulip. They like to seed themselves. It's important to pull out the seedlings when really young, a few inches. By the time they get a real stem they don't pull, and if you cut them they come back.
I enjoy the colorful flame trees (they are here and not going anywhere), but I wouldn't plant an orange one in my yard. I love the yellow ones; good to learn they're sterile!
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Carrie,
I think Kathy's right...It's probably a royal ponciana. They are pretty when in bloom and have a low risk of becoming invasive here. I think they'd make a good medium-sized canopy tree for a largeish backyard. Pretty fast growers as well if they're happy.
http://www.hear.org/species/delonix_regia/
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Is that the same as a "Shower Tree?" There's one on the corner of Puni Mauka South and Kahakai in front of a grey-ish house. Very pretty.
I tried to transplant a shoot from a nearby African Tulip but it died right away...didn't like the shock I guess.
Carrie
Edited by - Carolann R on 06/02/2007 16:14:23
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At the request of a neighbor, I eliminated one on my property. It was making a mess, was ridiculously tall, and it is considered a weed. If you can keep them small and controlled, they are pretty. Just be sure you can do that.
John Dirgo, R, ABR, e-PRO
Island Trust Properties, LLC
808-987-9243 cell
http://www.hawaiirealproperty.com
Carrie, I think the spathodea (tulip trees) prefer to grow from seed, and they do so with abandon! If you want one, try dumping flowers on the ground in the spot. Seriously, I pull out one or two of the seedlings a week, and I don't even have one! They are just blowing in the wind.
Shower trees are Cassia's, so not the same as delonix (royal poinciana), but they look a little similar and are both members of the Bean Family (Fabaceae).
The Rainbow Shower is sterile. With all these related trees, when they make beans they make many many nuisance seedlings. Thus a sterile tree will be your friend in your yard.
The Royal Poinciana is gorgeous but large scale for most yards. A very pretty alternate (besides Shower Tree) would be dwarf poinciana or `Ohai Ali`i (Caesalpinea pulcherrima). Yellow and salmon. Easy to grow, drought, heat, salt tolerant, needs sun. I grew this in Kohala, have not tried it over here on the wet side.
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