Description

Peacock Flower is a species of flowering plant in the pea family Fabaceae, native to the tropics and subtropics of the Americas. It could be native to the West Indies, but its exact origin is unknown due to widespread cultivation. This beautiful treelet, whose place of origin is unknown, is sometimes called Dwarf Poinciana due to the resemblence of its flowers and leaves to those of Gulmohar. They are botanically related but Peacock flower plant grows only to a height of about 3 meters, retains its leaves throughout the year, and blooms continuously.

Characteristics:

It is a shrub growing to 3 m tall. In climates with few to no frosts, this plant will grow larger and is semievergreen. In Hawaii this plant is evergreen and grows over 5 m tall. Grown in climates with light to moderate freezing, plant will die back to the ground depending on cold, but will rebound in mid- to late spring. This species is more sensitive to cold than others. The leaves are bipinnate, 20–40 cm long, bearing three to 10 pairs of pinnae, each with six to 10 pairs of leaflets 15–25 mm long and 10–15 mm broad. The flowers are borne in racemes up to 20 cm long, each flower with five yellow, orange, or red petals. The is a pod 6–12 cm long. Flowers, which appear in clusters on long erect stems, are smaller than those of Gulmohar and have exceptionally long stamens and a prominent pistil which protrudes from the center. The most common color is red-orange, but one variety has pure yellow flowers.

Medicinal Uses:

The infusion of the leaves is used to prevent recurrence like malaria, promote menstrual flow, work as a purgative, and for producing energy. The infusion of the flowers is used to relieve chest affections, reduce or eliminate fever, cure bronchitis, asthma and malarial fevers. The decoction of the roots is given for cholera.