Official Tree

One of the issues that animates the anonymous daily conversation in the newspaper in Key West is he issue of trees. For some reason this subject brings out the attack dog in anonymous in the Citizen's Voice column on page 2. Like parking and the cost of housing trees are an endless source of back and forth. There are the people who support having more canopy trees in Key West, trees that throw shade and create beauty (in the eye of those beholders).

Then there are the voices of those who want more native species, hardy palms that throw less cooling shade but these are trees their supporters would claim that belong on this sub tropical lump of coral rock.

Palmettos and the like. Between these two fearsome groups stands the city tree commission which tries to mediate tree removal and preservation. They get it in the neck from all sides because at every meeting they pronounce sentences of death on a number of trees that may be considered dangerous or intrusive or whatever. Plaintively they point out that trees not being cut down get their reprieves in private; it's only in public session where fair warning must be given do they sound tree death knells which make them sound arboreally blood thirsty. Not the case says the tree commission.

So the idea of naming an official city tree was brought up and the nomination promptly sank under a welter of recrimination and blame. So the mayor in his waning months in office  stood up to a storm of abuse and said this shall be done and the city commission got behind him. Not as much  abuse as when he pushed for the new city hall which even his detractors have to admit looks good, but still so now we have an official city tree in Key West:

It goes by assorted names, in Key West it's  known as the royal poinciana whereas in Africa and parts Australian they call this or something similar a flame tree. Personally I like the Caribbean flambuoyant but it's a poinciana and its distinctive orange blossoms appear in Spring and fade by the Fall. And boy, they don't go out willingly let me tell you. When they fall they create orange snowdrifts which annoy some people. The peanut gallery says the tree is relatively short lived harbors pests and makes a mess but this wouldn't be Key West is every least decision didn't draw massive and prolonged criticism. From 2009 I have this picture:

The funny thing is Key West was not always a city filled with canopy trees, you only have to look at historical photos to see how sparse they were. I was told, and it seems reasonable that there was no piped water before World War Two and rainwater was reserved for more urgent needs. Nowadays Key West is a greener town and all it takes it seems is regular supplies of water, and tree planting.

Flame Trees

Its that time of year when the orange blossoms are out in force or supposed to be, except it's been rather dry this Spring. It's Latin name is Delonix Regia, which is often translated into English as "royal" poinciana. 

 The tress are either magnificent or gaudy depending on your point of view.

 And they drop carpets of orange on cars, sidewalks and anything that happens to be underneath.

No, this isn't a poinciana fence. It's just my little joke, the orange construction fence in the same shade. 

 The orange flowers creep into every picture if you aren't careful, it's just the way it is this time of year.

To Read MORE.

Poincianas In June

To hear some people talk about them the poinciana trees are being decimated by the city's tree commission. I have no idea but I see plenty of them around. Bright orange splashes over the city.

It's the time of year when orange blossoms fall to the ground and cover everything, the just and the unjust alike. 

I couldn't get a picture of Rusty in a poinciana tree so I took this picture of him instead, enjoying his walk, oblivious to the trees that interested me: 

 The Old Harris School in the background appears to be undergoing a renovation of some sort.

This old place on Carsten Lane has been made habitable apparently though it still seems like a work in progress. It's been that since I can remember. 

Not a poinciana:

Some people call them royal poinciana though where that designation comes from I'm not sure.

In the Caribbean they call them flamboyants, which should be a timely reminder that Key West is not in the Caribbean. The Caribbean Sea laps the south coasts of Puerto Rico, Hispaniola and Cuba, not Key West. 

Indeed the Tropic of Cancer runs between Havana and Key West making the Cuban capital properly tropical while the Conch Republic is actually sub tropical. Covered in flamboyant petals nonetheless.

In Africa and other more exotic parts they have similar growth they call Flame Trees, and if they look much like these poincianas you can see why.

I'm glad I don't live under one but I do enjoy walking past them in May and June and into the summer months proper.

Welcome to Flaming Key West.

From the Archives 2009 : Flame Trees

June 2009.

Much to my astonishment we are almost half way into the month of June already, and half of the year 2009 is on the back side of the calendar. So it came upon me slowly that this is the month that poinciana trees choose to bloom. You would have to be oblivious to life itself not to spot these bright orange flowers glowing all over town:

In the Keys they are known as Royal Poinciana, Delonix regia to give them their latin name, but who gave them the regal appellation I don't know I'm sure. The size and quantity of the blooms varies from tree to tree though the clusters of flowers always make an impression:

Even though I live in a corner of the United States which overflows with fantastic flora, I am no botanist, so you can take my word that you can't miss the poincianas anywhere around town, Old Town:

Or in New Town:

The poincianas, known in the Caribbean islands as "flamboyants" create a backdrop all their own:

In parts of Asia and Africa they are known as Flame Trees (Australian flame trees are I think something a little different):

The picture above is Eaton Street at Elizabeth, this is William Street from Eaton looking towards the Schooner Wharf area at the waterfront:

Look up and there are flame trees burning overhead:

Look down and the petals become so much debris, littering driveways, sidewalks and parked cars:

There are trees at the post office on Whitehead Street:

And the green and orange of the tree contrast nicely with the classic white wood of Key West homes:

The flowers themselves look like orchids to me, seen close up:

In New Town the Poinciana Public Housing complex is converted Navy Housing which is now affordable rental apartments for city residents, in the the sort of spacious tree lined tract that one doesn't generally associate with public housing. Personally I think public housing could use fewer high rises and more poincianas:

And across the street is a Key West version of a strip mall:

And just up the street Smurf Village has its own flaming poincianas to brighten up the street:

Call it what you will, royal poinciana, flamboyant or flame tree, its a bloom worth celebrating.