Wherever I’ve been to Bangalore these days, I’ve come across this tree laden with big, bright, deep-orange flowers:



Even if you don’t walk looking up at the tree (or at the sky; like I do), you are still bound to come across its flowers splayed out on road:

Is that the gulmohur tree? the trees look like they aflame when in full bloom - a sight to behold!

By  G Shrivastava, at 12.10.04  

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I am no authority on Botany, but I don't think its gulmohar... the flower here is about the size of an average sized palm!

By  Deepak, at 12.10.04  

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Hmm...I'm quite convinced it's a Gulmohur tree - it's flowers are quite big...anyways you could verify on this site on the Trees in Bangalore

By  G Shrivastava, at 13.10.04  

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"Leaves: Compound, bipinnate, large, feathery and graceful. Deciduous by March. New leaves by June."

and

"Fruits: Flat green pods, up to 60 cms long, appear by October. They turn dark brown later and remain on the tree for a long time."

I think these facts rule gulmohar out of reckoning. (I think I now remember what the gulmohar flower looks like) But I'll need some more research before I can speak with certitude.

Ironical that you point me to information about flowering trees on a real estate/builder's website ;-)

By  Deepak, at 13.10.04  

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All this gulmohar talk reminds me of a Gulzar-Pancham song - 'gulmohar gar tumhaara naam hota'. What a lovely song! Oops, I digress.

I have no clue what this flower/tree is called (although I remember seeing lots of it around while growing up in Delhi) but its definitely NOT gulmohar. Here's what the gulmohar flower looks like..

By  Nimbus, at 13.10.04  

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Ah, that settles it then :-)... but I better find out what this one is called!

By  Deepak, at 13.10.04  

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Nice pictures Deepak. And I often catch myself looking up at the expanse of the sky. It never ceases to amaze. It's usually so beautiful in the mornings (when its not raining!). With the clouds and blue sky. I have to remind myself to keep an eye on the road, I get so carried away sometimes :)

By  Anita, at 15.10.04  

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hey this tree is called semal,its
quite common in delhi the bud once is fully ripe will yield cotton .which is quite expensive,

regds,monika

By  Anonymous, at 1.5.05  

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Hi Monica, I did a bit of studying around and found out that this one is the "African Tulip" (Spathodea campanulata). Yes it does resemble Semal (Bombax ceiba) but it isn't that one :-)

By  Deepak, at 9.5.05  

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it is semal .. n its a wonderful tree 2 luk at ,, ven fully ladden wt flowers !!

By  Unknown, at 27.2.08  

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bt the semal tree dere in delhi dsnt hv ne leaves ven full on wt flowers ..
so d one in d pic is semal bt nt lik d 1 v gt in delhi !!

By  Unknown, at 27.2.08  

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African Tulip is the correct name. It is NOT semal.

Check this beautiful and informative site for information on Bangalore flowering trees.
http://www.wildwanderer.com/journal/flowering-trees/

I see rows and rows of flaming trees, fulll of these deep orange flowers from our roof top cafeteria, Koramangala.
October ,2008

By  Appukkuttan, at 7.10.08  

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