Gul Mohar

 Rare yellow flowers of Gulmohur 
Wikimedia Commons by Averette

It is a tall deciduous tree growing to a height of about 40 to 50 feet.It has spreading branches and the leaves are fan shaped and feathery, which wave gaily with a slight wind. It is also called Ashanti or noisy tree because its pinions wave constantly.

The British in India named it Gulmohar. The vernacular points to Gul meaning flower and mohr meaning moor or peacock crest due to it resemblance to peacock, or mohr also means coin.

The tree belongs to Delonix Regia or Poinciana regia genre. The name Poinciana was given in honor of M. de Poincy- the Governor of French Antilles. Delonic is a Greek name meaning claw like petals of flowers of gulmohar.