Gulmohar Tree (Delonix regia): Where It Grows in India and How to Plant It
Delonix regia
Gulmohar (Delonix regia), the flame tree or royal poinciana in English, is a summer-flowering avenue tree from Madagascar. What it looks like, where it grows in India, when it flowers, how and when to plant it, care for the first three years, and whether it is harmful.
Cultural significance
We found no source that gives gulmohar an ancient place in Indian scripture or ritual, which fits with its arrival in India only within roughly the last 150 years (ICFRE), but it has become part of the Indian summer in many cities.
- Names: in Bengali it is called Krishnachura (Flowers of India); eFlora of India discussions show that the name is sometimes confused with the peacock flower.
- May flower: eFlora of India members note that in Bengaluru and Mysuru it is called the May flower, after the month it blooms there.
- Delhi: gulmohar is widely listed as the state tree of Delhi in published lists of state symbols; we have not seen an official notification.
- Auspicious or not: we found no reliable source that makes gulmohar auspicious or inauspicious to plant. Such beliefs vary from family to family; the practical points below matter more when you choose a spot.
Sources: ICFRE (2019). A Manual: Modern Nursery Techniques, species 25: Delonix regia (Boj) Rafin, p. 70; Flowers of India: Gulmohar (Delonix regia); eFlora of India: Delonix regia
This article was prepared with AI assistance and checked by the GreenEye team against the sources shown in each section.
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