Tropical Plant Database - Plant Details

African Tulip Tree is a large tree that can reach 50 ft in height. The pinnate leaves grow to 40 cm (16 in) long and they are bronze in color when young, turning deep glossy-green at maturity. This is one of the nicest blooming trees in the world. Large clusters of velvety, bronze-green, kidney-shaped buds are produced at the ends of the branches. Than, the flared, funnel shaped flowers appear in 8 to 10 cm long racemes on the tips of the branches, all over the tree. The flowers are large, brilliant red-orange (yellow in some cultivars) in color and with crinkled margins. The tree blooms throughout the year but only a few flowers open at a time. The unopened flowers contain water inside, which the birds are drinking. The fruit is a long pod, up to 45 cm long (18 in.) that breaks open when they fall from the tree. Inside there are very small seeds with transparent wings.
(Labrada, Ricardo pers.comm. 2003. In Pacific Island Ecosystem at Risk, PIER)
(Fosberg et al. 1993. In Pacific Island Ecosystem at Risk, PIER. 2002.)
(G.W. Lennox, G.W. and S.A. Seddon, S.A. 1978. Flowers of the Caribbean.)

In Ghana, the bark and leaves are used in traditional medicine. A brew made from the bark, leaves and flowers of this tree is used for treating various illnesses.
(Labrada, Ricardo pers.comm. 2003. In Pacific Island Ecosystem at Risk, PIER)
(Fosberg et al. 1993. In Pacific Island Ecosystem at Risk, PIER. 2002.)
(G.W. Lennox, G.W. and S.A. Seddon, S.A. 1978. Flowers of the Caribbean.)

Although African tuliptree is not typically thought of as a toxic plant, African hunters are said to have boiled the seeds to extract arrow poison.
(Floridata Plant Encyclopedia. 2004.)

In some parts of Africa people believe that the tree has magical properties, so wands used by medicine men are made from its twigs, while a string of the tree's red flowers posted at one's door marks the home-owner as a source of evil. Also, African hunters have boiled the seeds to extract an arrow poison.
(Labrada, Ricardo pers.comm. 2003. In Pacific Island Ecosystem at Risk, PIER)
(Fosberg et al. 1993. In Pacific Island Ecosystem at Risk, PIER. 2002.)
(G.W. Lennox, G.W. and S.A. Seddon, S.A. 1978. Flowers of the Caribbean.)

(Information for this species compiled and recorded by Camelia Cirnaru, NTBG Consultant.)

Spathodea campanulata is a native of West Africa. This spectacular flowering tree is abundantly planted throughout the tropics and has naturalized in many parts of the Pacific. The plant pictured here is a sterile (seedless) cultivar with golden flowers.

(Labrada, Ricardo pers.comm. 2003. In Pacific Island Ecosystem at Risk, PIER)
(Fosberg et al. 1993. In Pacific Island Ecosystem at Risk, PIER. 2002.)
(G.W. Lennox, G.W. and S.A. Seddon, S.A. 1978. Flowers of the Caribbean.)

African Tulip Tree has become an invasive in Hawaii, Fiji, Guam, Vanuatu, the Cook Islands and Samoa and is a potential invader in several other tropical locations. The species invades agricultural areas, forest plantations and natural ecosystems, smothering other trees and crops and as it grows becomes the prevailing tree in those areas.
(Labrada, Ricardo pers.comm. 2003. In Pacific Island Ecosystem at Risk, PIER)
(Fosberg et al. 1993. In Pacific Island Ecosystem at Risk, PIER. 2002.)

We currently have 13 herbarium specimens for Spathodea campanulata in our collection. Click on any specimen below to view the herbarium sheet data.

• 003996 - collected by W. M. Bush in 1976
• 003995 - collected by Tim Flynn in 1987
• 036317 - collected by Hans T. Beck in 1990
• 036318 - collected by Hans T. Beck in 1990
• 033163 - collected by Hank Oppenheimer in 2000
• 043116 - collected by Art Whistler in 2000
• 085918 - collected by Art Whistler in 2000
• 043543 - collected by Michael J. Balick in 2001
• 045482 - collected by Hank Oppenheimer in 2006
• 068622 - collected by Tim Flynn in 2013
• W - collected by Tim Flynn in 2013
• 068043 - collected by David H. Lorence in 2014
• 003994 - collected by Richard A. Howard in 2020