Spathodea (African Tulip Tree)
Spathodea campanulata
📖 About this plant
Spathodea campanulata, commonly called the African Tulip Tree, Fountain Tree, or Flame of the Forest, is one of the most spectacular flowering trees of the tropics — when in bloom from winter to spring, the tree is covered in large (10-12 cm), bell-shaped flowers in brilliant scarlet-orange to crimson, creating a stunning floral display that rivals even the Gulmohar. Native to tropical Africa, the African Tulip Tree was introduced to India in the 19th century and has become one of the most popular ornamental trees in Indian cities, particularly in Bangalore, Mumbai, and Chennai, where it lines avenues and parks. The common name “Fountain Tree” comes from the flower buds, which contain water that squirts out when squeezed — a favourite play activity for children in India. The flowers are large, waxy, and held in upright clusters at the branch tips — each flower lasts about 3 days, but the tree produces flowers in succession over many weeks. The tree is evergreen to semi-deciduous, with large, glossy, dark green pinnate leaves that provide year-round shade. Beyond ornamental value, Spathodea has medicinal uses in traditional African and Indian medicine — the bark, leaves, and flowers are used to treat skin diseases, digestive disorders, and respiratory conditions. The wood is soft and used for making drums and carvings. The tree is fast-growing, drought-tolerant once established, and provides excellent shade. However, the tree is considered invasive in some tropical regions (Hawaii, Fiji, Australia) — it produces abundant seeds and root suckers, and can form dense thickets that displace native vegetation.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
Full sun
Weekly (drought-tolerant once established)
Moderate to high (50-80%)
18-38°C
Well-draining loamy soil; tolerates poor soils. pH 5.5-7.5
Balanced NPK or compost 2-3 times per year
🌐 Common Names
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- Tropical Africa (widely planted across tropical Asia including India)
- 📏 Max height
- 10-25 m (typically 10-15 m in cultivation)
- 📐 Spread
- 6-12 m
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Winter to spring (December to April in India); sporadic blooms year-round in tropics
- 🎨 Bloom color
- Large (10-12 cm) bell-shaped flowers in brilliant scarlet-orange to crimson
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Dark green, glossy, pinnate leaves 30-45 cm long; evergreen
- ⏳ Lifespan
- 40-60 years
- 📈 Growth rate
- Fast — 1-2 m per year when young
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Mildly toxic — seeds and flowers contain compounds that may cause stomach upset; keep away from pets and children
- 🌱 Propagation
- Seeds (germinate in 2-4 weeks), stem cuttings, root suckers
🛡️ Health & Safety
Mildly toxic — seeds and flowers contain compounds that may cause stomach upset; keep away from pets and children
Common issues
- Root rot from poor drainage, leaf spot diseases, powdery mildew, scale insects, aphids on new growth, fruit fly on flowers, brittle branches breaking in strong winds
- can become invasive via root suckers and seeds
💡 Care tips
- Plant in full sun with 8-10 m spacing — Spathodea becomes a large tree.
- The tree is drought-tolerant once established but produces best with regular watering during the growing season.
- Apply compost or balanced fertilizer 2-3 times per year.
- Prune young trees to develop a strong central leader
- mature trees need regular thinning to reduce wind resistance (brittle branches break in monsoon storms).
- The tree is fast-growing (1-2 m per year when young) and starts flowering in 3-4 years from seed.
- The tree produces abundant root suckers — remove these regularly to prevent the tree from forming a thicket.
- Also remove seed pods before they split to prevent self-seeding.
- Plant Spathodea as a specimen tree where the spectacular winter-spring bloom can be admired, or as an avenue tree with 8-10 m spacing.
- The tree is suitable for large gardens, parks, and wide avenues.
- Avoid planting near foundations, pavements, or underground pipes — the tree develops aggressive roots.
- The tree is evergreen and provides year-round shade.
- The flowers attract sunbirds and bees.