Royal poinciana (Delonix regia) is also known as the flame tree. As well as producing a stunning array of crimson flowers, it has lacy-looking leaves and produces long, distinctive seed pods.

I noticed this tree, tucked away at the end of a small commercial area in Kawaihae. The top photo shows an array of flowers. The flowers consist of four red petals with a fifth upright petal which is more yellow and white, as in the photo to the right. The photo below shows three of the seed pods which start out green before turning brown. At the bottom is the full tree. It can do well close to the ocean, as this one is, because it’s salt tolerant.