Thai Botanic
Butea monosperma, flame of the forest, grown root-balled for export in Thailand

Butea monosperma

Flame of the forest, palash · Fabaceae · Deciduous flowering tree

Vivid orange-scarlet flowers carried in dense clusters on bare branches, giving the tree its name. Deeply drought-hardy and long associated with dry-country landscapes across South and Southeast Asia.

Specification

Mature height10–15 m
Crown spread6–10 m [to confirm]
Calliper range supplied15–35 cm, measured 1 m above soil level [to confirm]
Root-ball diameter80–140 cm [to confirm]
Growth rateSlow to moderate
HabitDeciduous — leafless when flowering
FloweringOrange-scarlet clusters on bare wood, dry season
Minimum order quantity[to confirm]

Landscape use

Dry-country parks, heritage and cultural landscapes, roadside groupings and naturalistic planting. Its flowering coincides with the hottest, driest weeks of the year, when little else in a scheme is doing anything.

The character is rugged rather than manicured, which suits it to informal and native-style schemes. Planted in groups the flowering reads across a whole landscape.

Site tolerance

DroughtVery high
SalinityModerate [to confirm]
WindHigh
SoilPoor, dry, shallow and compacted soils. Very undemanding.
HeatVery high
USDA zone10–12

Export notes

Supplied root-balled and wrapped. Lifted in its leafless period, which suits transit well. Phytosanitary certification accompanies every shipment. See export and compliance.


For available sizes and current stock in this species, get in touch.