Hi
Would be curious as to what your long term plan is?? These trees get enormous.!!lol Are you trying some type of Bonsai or dwarfing?? I know you can get Jacaranda to flower
under 10 feet but don't think you can with the RP.
I've always wanted to try some dwarfing techniques on them but never got around to it.
I recently noticed a RP that had the entire crown broken out by a Hurricane last year and the result is a weeping tree around 20 feet high smothered in flowers.
Absolutely gorgeous without alll the enormous bulk of mature trees I'd guess it to be a t least 20 from the girth of the trunk which may explain why it's flowering so heavily but might be because it no longer has to maintauin the huge crown so all the energy could go into flowers.
Any way Ron gave you good advice they are all very hardy trees but hope you're planning an addition lol
gary

Hi, there
Thank you for the advice, Ron! I'm glad you told me about the leaves dropping, to save me from a panic attack
later on. :)
I'm going to look up those other trees you mentioned and try to track down some seeds. Right now my RP's are growing like crazy, my Bottlebrush seeds are just barely sprouting, and I have three Blue Jacaranda trees that have sprouted (out of about 15 seeds). Only one Jacaranda is thriving; the other two aren't looking so good. Leaves got all shriveled and crispy looking; I'm hoping that the roots are doing okay. I appreciate your advice for keeping them indoors...if I can get them all to survive the winter, I'll be thrilled!
Thanks again!
Tree_girl

Hi, Gary,
Oh, my goodness! No, I have no plans in the works for an addition (whew!), but you guessed correctly: I am planning to "bonsai" these trees, since they're too delicate to grow outdoors here in zone 5...at least in the wintertime.
I didn't know the RP wouldn't flower under 10 feet; I'm glad you pointed that out. I have a friend who's really into bonsai, so I'll have to consult him for how to grow them. I guess planting them in a large pot and letting them grow to the ceiling isn't a good idea, since they have such a large spread. It WOULD make a really good conversation piece, though, wouldn't it? :)
That storm-damaged weeping tree you saw sounds absolutely gorgeous. I think you're right about all its energy going into producing flowers; compliments of some serious pruning by mother nature! :)

I've kept my 3 year old Royal Poinciana at about 7' tall and 6' wide by pinching new growth where I don't want it, forcing it to branch rather low. It looks like crap over the winter and quite messy (slowly yellows and periodically drop the leaflets) but does continue to grow somewhat. In the Spring it looks even worse for the first 3 weeks while outside, then starts to grow like crazy. I bring it out in April (shelter at night) and take it in October'ish.

Rob

Hi, Rob,
I'm curious as to where you keep your Royal Poinciana indoors, (temperature/amount of light). I try to grow most of my trees from seed, but often have trouble with them after they sprout. They'll be growing very well at first, then eventually shrivel up and keel over, or just keel over, without the shriveling. I'm very careful not to overwater them or give them direct sunlight (they're outdoors right now, in the shade of some bigger trees) but two of my Jacarandas have done this already; the rest of the seeds have yet to do anything. So I'd love to know, if you were able to grow your RP from seed, how did you manage to keep it alive until it could get established? Your help is greatly appreciated!
Tree_girl

Hi Tree_girl,

I keep my Poinciana at about 66 degrees during the winter, from anywhere between 2 and 4 hours of direct sun depending on the month, and spray with water frequently. This plant was purchased at about 6 inches tall.

I also have about 5 'pride of barbados' that I've had for 2 years under the same conditions but started from seed. They are considerably smaller and JUST starting to really put out solid growth.

I would post pictures, but my crappy digital camera was lost at Sesame Place last month :(

Rob

I've some Jagaranda seeds and need to know what should be done before planting them, if I have to leave them in the refrigerator for a week before planting them? etc. Please let me know from A to Z of it since I'm totaly illiterate in that sort of things.
regards
G

a friend just gave me a sapling jacaranda and it's got very long,leggy growth and then a sapte of leaves on top. I would like to be able to prune the tree back abut am not sure how well it will take to hard pruning. I would like to kee this plant indoors and maintain it in a bonzaai state. I have the right conditions, so I am not worried about light and warmth. How can I best promote further branching at this stage? Right now the plant is about thre feet from the soil to the crown, and is about 1/2 inch in diameter (the base of the sapling. I would prefer to grow the thicker truck and promote more branching .... and suggestions and thoughts would be appreciated - thanks
Mairesa

Jacaranda is one tree that does not take to pruning. Probably why you don't see them as Bonsai.

If you cut it anywhere it will start a multitude of water sprouts. The only Jacaranda trees that look decent are the ones that have never been pruned.

-Ron-

Hi there! I was interested to read the original question and its replies....thought you may like to know I live in chilly England and have a beautiful Callistemon Citrinus aka red bottlebrush outside at the moment growing in a large pot, but confined to a heated frost proof greenhouse during the winter months...its has'nt stopped flowering all summer and has been covered in blooms. I have also sprouted a Poinciana Regia aka flamboyant, from seeds bought in the Canary Isl. last Nov...it is now 5in high and growing daily...whether I can get it to survie the winter is another matter! I have read on the web that they form a deep tap root and grow v large before they flower...up to 20 ft. So good luck!! You may have to cut a hole through the bedroom floor to accomodate it and get it to bloom upstairs!!! Some 6 inch cuttings of Frangipani aka Plumeria/Lei flower bought back from hols in W Australia in Feb 05 are now beginning to flower and have lovely long sword shaped leaves, so that is another type you could try as the flowers are deliciously scented as a bonus!...Happy growing, Greenclaws

Ron hit the nail on the head!. Jacaranda's are naturally large spreading trees. When you prune them it ruins their natural shape and they go horribly vertical. Still, sound reasoning has never stopped me:) Good luck

I just got 4 young Jacaranda [I fell in love with that tree in Morocco, Madeira and Lisboa]

They are about 30 inches high and are planted in 6 inch containers and I placed them in our heated sunroom. I will need to move them out when they will reach about 7 ft.

Meanwhine I will need to move them into larger containers. In which season should I do it and what soil should I plant them in?

Thank you for your help!

I've got five Jacarandas germinating from seeds (so far, out of eleven, so more might be coming) and as I live up north, outdoor planting is not an option so it would be preferable to keep them short. Wondering whether pruning is an absolute no-no? Will they end up looking like regular potted plants or just misshaped trees? And will it affect flowering (I know it takes years anyway, but..) Fell in love with the tree in Kenya and would like to see it bloom eventually if possible.

Hi
have been trying to dwarf Jacaranda, R poinciana for around 10 years . Trying to keep the trees under 8 feet.
though they grow and respond well to both root and limb pruning they have not flowered. Have seen both of these flower within 5 years planted in the ground. My conclusion is I've wasted my time lol.
There are several species of Jacaranda that stay under 10 feet would probably be a better choice as a house plant.
The dwarf poinciannas will flower under 3 feet quite easily and can be pruned into any shape.
Think I'm going to give up on the RP and give it to someone who has the room. Would love to see it flower as it's supposed to be a white variety. May have permanently stunted it though. gary

i brought some RP seed pods back from Sanibel last year, opened one up and planted the seeds in a window box in my kitchen, it is growing ok but dropping it's leaves, if i plant it out side this spring will it be too big to move back in come fall, i.m here in Massachusetts and the winters can get way too cold for it.thank you Bob D