Flowers and Trees: Pride of Barbados

The National Flower of Barbados is the Pride of Barbados (Dwarf Poinciana or Flower Fence).

The Pride of Barbados blooms all year round, the more common varieties are a fiery red and yellow "sunset colour" although other variations can be found.

The National Flower is accepted as the red variety with the Yellow Margin on the petals. It appears on the Barbados Coat of Arms. Other varieties are yellow or orange/pink.

References to this flower were recorded as early as 1657. It is a shrub and is often pruned into a low hedge. If untrimmed it grows to a height of 10 to 15 feet. It is a member of the Legume family and can be found in other tropical countries.

The flower has five petals with a yellow margin in a pyramidal inflorescence. Each flower is about 1½ inches across with five sepals. The ten stamens are long and the pistils project from the centre of the flower. The fifth petal is far smaller than the other four. The stamens have coloured filaments with anthers at the tips however, the eleventh filament bears a stigma and is the style.

The branches a prickly and the leaves are large and doubly compound about one foot long and six inches wide with many small leaflets.