Yellow Flame Tree
Peltophorum pterocarpum, family Fabaceae
A tall tree with masses of golden yellow summer flowers
The Yellow Flame Tree is a large deciduous tree native to tropical Southeast Asia and northern Australia. It is known for its bright yellow flowers that bloom in summer, making it a popular ornamental tree in many tropical cities and parks.
- Native to Southeast Asia and northern Australia
- Produces large clusters of golden yellow flowers in summer
- Used in India's Batukamma festival
- Provides dye for Indonesian batik cloth
- Often planted with red-flowered Poinciana for avenue displays
What does Yellow Flame Tree look like?
The Yellow Flame Tree is a tall, deciduous tree that can reach 15 to 25 meters, sometimes even 50 meters. Its leaves are long and feathery, divided into many small oval leaflets. In summer, the tree produces large clusters of bright yellow flowers, each about 2.5 to 4 cm across. The flowers grow in long, showy sprays, making the tree stand out. Its fruit is a pod that turns from red to black as it ripens.
Where does Yellow Flame Tree come from?
This tree is native to tropical regions stretching from Indo-China through Southeast Asia to northern Australia. It grows wild in places like Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and parts of Australia. The species was first described in 1825. Over time, it has been planted widely in other tropical areas for its decorative value.
When and how Yellow Flame Tree blooms
The Yellow Flame Tree blooms in summer, usually after it is about four years old. It prefers tropical climates and is often grown from seed. The tree sheds its leaves before flowering, which makes the yellow blossoms even more striking. It is commonly planted along roadsides and in parks for shade and decoration.
How Yellow Flame Tree is used
People plant the Yellow Flame Tree in gardens, parks, and along avenues for its bright flowers and shade. In India, its flowers are used in the Batukamma festival in Telangana. The wood is used for making furniture, and in Indonesia, the tree provides a dye for batik cloth. Its foliage can also be used as animal fodder.
Kinds of Yellow Flame Tree
The sources do not describe named varieties or cultivars, but the tree is sometimes planted together with Delonix regia (red-flowered Poinciana) to create a striking yellow and red display in Indian cities.
What Yellow Flame Tree means
The Yellow Flame Tree is valued for its ornamental beauty and is a familiar sight in tropical cities. In Telangana, India, its flowers play a role in the Batukamma festival. In Indonesia, it is known as soga and is important for producing a traditional brown dye for batik fabrics. The tree is also used as an avenue tree in several countries.
Questions people ask about Yellow Flame Tree
Where does the Yellow Flame Tree come from?
It is native to tropical Southeast Asia and northern Australia, and grows wild in countries like Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.
What does the Yellow Flame Tree look like?
It is a tall, deciduous tree with feathery leaves and large clusters of bright yellow flowers that bloom in summer. The tree can reach up to 25 meters or more.
How is the Yellow Flame Tree used?
It is widely planted as an ornamental tree in parks and along roads. Its flowers are used in the Batukamma festival in India, and its wood and leaves have practical uses. In Indonesia, it provides a dye for batik cloth.
What does the Yellow Flame Tree symbolise or mean in culture?
In Telangana, India, its flowers are important for the Batukamma festival. In Indonesia, it is valued for the dye used in traditional batik fabrics.
When does the Yellow Flame Tree flower?
It produces its bright yellow flowers in the summer season, often after shedding its leaves.
Good reading and sources
- USDA Plants DatabaseUS Department of Agriculture, Article
- IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesIUCN Red List, Article
- Plants of the World OnlineRoyal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Plant database
- Where it has been recordedGBIF, Plant database
- Sightings and photos by naturalistsiNaturalist, Plant database
- Peltophorum pterocarpum on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Peltophorum pterocarpum", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Phool rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. It is not medical or foraging advice: many flowers are poisonous, and traditional uses are reported, not recommended. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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