BUTEA 
*FLAME OF THE FOREST (Butea 
frondosa. Syn. B. monosperma). This very 
slow growing Indian tree reaches 40 feet, 
with a crooked, often irregular trunk. 
Brandis says in northwest India it is often 
kept as a shrub by constant lopping. It 
thrives on heavy, often saline soils. It 
sheds its leaves in February and soon 
bursts into flower, so profuse that Brandis 
says: “The tree in full bloom presents a 
striking spectacle, like fire on the horizon.” 
Nairne says the 2-inch, silky, orange red 
flowers completely cover the upper part 
of the tree. Hooker says it “is a gorgeous 
sight. In mass the inflorescence resembles 
sheets of flame, and individually the flow- 
ers are eminently beautiful, the bright 
crange-red petals contrasting brilliantly 
against the jet-black velvety calyx.” Mac- 
millan says “very showy,” Butea in culti- 
vation in Florida, has one distressing habit. 
If the weather is too hot or too cold, too 
wet or too dry, the plant dies back to the 
ground, and you think it is dead. But no, 
just let it alone; it will come back bigger 
and better from the tubrous root that looks 
like a sweet potato. It will die off a second 
and maybe a third year, but sooner or 
later it decides to grow up and be a tree. 
It is well worth nursing and waiting for. 
*SARACA. Corner calls these “among 
the most beautiful of our native flowering 
trees’ in Malaya. There are about 20 
kinds of Saraca trees, all in India or Ma- 
laysia. An outstanding characteristic is 
that the new leaves develop in tassels, 
pink or purple, gradually turning a dark 
green. All grow usually to 20-30 feet. 
The masses of ixora-like flowers in clust- 
29 
ers and along the branches, are so strik- 
ing that the trees deserve to be grown in 
sheltered, somewhat shady places through- 
out South Florida. In Malaya the Saracas 
grow mostly in stream-valleys, frequently 
right on the bank with roots extending out 
into the water. They like to grow beneath 
other trees in damp but well-drained 
ground. The YELLOW SARACA (S. 
thaipingensis). the hardiest and one of 
the best, has the largest leaves, flower- 
clusters and pods. The slightly fragrant 
blossoms are light apricot yellow, becom- 
ing deep yellow with the eye darkening to 
deep blood red. The flower clusters on 
the trunk and main branches are 6 to 18 
inches across. The ASOKA (S. indica) 
is an Indian species with apricot-yellow 
flowers turning orange-red with purple- 
mauve or magenta eye. The flower clust- 
ers are 8-6 inches wide, at the ends of 
leafy branches. In India the flowering is 
from January to May. Nehrling flowered 
it in Florida in June and July but his plants 
were killed by 25° temperature in 1910 
and the tree has never been reestablished 
in Florida until now. Sir W. Jones wrote: 
“The vegetable world scarce exhibits a 
richer sight than the Asoka tree in full 
bloom.” It is a Hindu sacred tree and is 
much planted in India for ornament and 
the flowers used for temple decoration. 
Nehrling wrote: “This will make a bril- 
liant flowering tree for Florida lawns and 
small gardens.” The tree thrives in shady 
situations in wet or semi-dry districts of 
India, and should do well in Florida. 
FAIRCHILD’S SARACA (S. cauliflora) 
from Malacca, bears masses of deep 
crange-red flowers. It has flowered at the 
Fairchild Tropical Garden, on the edge of 
a hammock, where it put on a wonderful 
show. 
SCAEVOLA (S. frutescens). Tropical- 
looking shrub from West Australia with 
large thick spatulate leaves, long droop- 
ing branches and small white flowers. 
Good background plant and should do 
well near the ocean. 
TRICHILIA (T. pallida or T. hirta). 
These are evergreen Central. American 
white-flowered avenue trees of the mahog- 
any family. 
