Gulmohar / Red Gulmohar
Delonix regia
Also known as Flamboyant Flame Tree, Royal Poinciana, Gul Mohur, Flamboyant Tree, Flame Tree, Peacock Flower
- Habit
- Tree
- Found in India
- Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana & more
- Flowering
- April-June
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Delonix regia
- Genus
- Delonix
- Family
- Caesalpiniaceae
- Habit
- Tree
- Habitat
- Planted along roads and avenues
- Habitat type
- Forest, Cultivated
- Native to
- Madagascar
- Distribution
- Tropics of the World
- Found in India
- Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Kerala
- Flowering & fruiting
- April-June
- Conservation status
- Least Concern (LC)
Leaf characters
- Arrangement
- Alternate
Recorded for Gulmohar.
Flower & fruit characters
Typical of the Caesalpiniaceae family — flowering plants only; individual species can differ.
Local Names
- Hindi
- Gulmohar गुलमोहर, Gulmohar,गुलमोहर gulamohar
- Nepali
- गुलमोहर
- Bengali
- Krishnachura, কৃষ্ণচূড়া, গুলমোহর
- Tamil
- மயிர்க்கொன்றை, செம்மயிற்கொன்றை
- Telugu
- తురాయి, కోడిపుంజు చెట్టు
- Kannada
- ಕೆಂಪುತುರಾಯಿ Kempu turai, ಕತ್ತಿಕಾಯಿಮರ Kattikaayi mara, ಸೀಮೆಸಂಕೇಶ್ವರ Seeme sankeshwara
- Malayalam
- ഗുൽമോഹർ, Royal Poinciana, അലസിപ്പൂമരം
- Marathi
- गुलमोहोर, गुलमोहर
- Gujarati
- ગુલમોહર
- Odia
- କୃଷ୍ଣଚୁଡା
Gulmohar in India
The gulmohar sets Indian streets ablaze with scarlet flowers at the height of summer — Gulmohar गुलमोहर (Hindi), மயிர்க்கொன்றை (Tamil), తురాయి (Telugu), ಕೆಂಪುತುರಾಯಿ Kempu turai (Kannada), ഗുൽമോഹർ (Malayalam), गुलमोहोर (Marathi). Though native to Madagascar, Delonix regia is one of India's favourite avenue and garden trees, recorded across Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Kerala.
Uses
It is grown almost entirely as an ornamental and shade tree, prized for the spectacular pre-monsoon flowering that lines roads and campuses in red and orange. The long woody pods are sometimes used as craft material; children use the hard seeds and pods in play.
How to Identify Gulmohar
A spreading, flat-crowned tree with delicate twice-divided (fern-like) leaves. In summer it carries masses of large flowers with four spreading scarlet petals and one larger marbled white-and-red petal. Long, flat, sword-shaped pods turn hard and brown and hang on for months.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Red Gulmohar called in different Indian languages?
- Gulmohar गुलमोहर (Hindi); மயிர்க்கொன்றை (Tamil); తురాయి (Telugu); ಕೆಂಪುತುರಾಯಿ Kempu turai (Kannada); ഗുൽമോഹർ (Malayalam); गुलमोहोर (Marathi); Krishnachura (Bengali); ગુલમોહર (Gujarati); କୃଷ୍ଣଚୁଡା (Odia).
- When does the gulmohar flower?
- Gulmohar flowers in the hot pre-monsoon months — roughly April to June across much of India — which is when its red canopy is most striking.
- Is gulmohar native to India?
- No — it originates from Madagascar, but it has been planted so widely as an avenue tree that it is now a familiar part of the Indian summer landscape.
Caesalpiniaceae
Senna family
Gulmohar belongs to the Caesalpiniaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
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Common plant problems
All plant problem & care guides →More in Caesalpiniaceae
View all Caesalpiniaceae →Sources: GBIF — Delonix regia (India distribution & vernacular names) (CC BY 4.0) · iNaturalist — Delonix regia (regional names, India observations) (CC BY 4.0) · Wikipedia — Delonix regia (background/comprehension only) (CC BY-SA 4.0)