Naked Poinciana

paulo

I am hoping there is a guru out there who can help me with a problem I have with a Delonix Regia/Poinciana.
Just over a year ago on a visit to Brisbane (Australia) my partner fell in love with all the Poincianas lining the streets in the suburbs there. After visiting a few nurserys we were told that they can be grown fairly happily in Sydney where we live. We brought one back to Sydney with us and planted it in the backyard. It seemed quite happy and kept all of its' leaves on all 4 of its' branches for its' 1st summer. At planting it was about 800cm high. After Summer it lost all of its' leaves (which I believe is normal). It is now into its' 2nd Summer and is growing leaves again. This is where the problem is.... as you can see from the photo I have attached it is only growing leaves on 2 of the 4 branches. PLEASE tell me this is normal and will eventually sort itself out. The naked branches appear to be ok. They do not have any rot or obvious abnormality (apart from having no leaves!). The tree is now about 1300cm. It gets water once per week, a bit more in Summer. I have never fertilized it though. Should I?
If anyone could offer any help it would be greatly appreciated.

Attached Thumbnails

 

Trish FitzSimons

I live in East Brisbane and have a twenty year old Poinciana that has been trouble free. But this year, for the past few weeks half the tree has been completely naked, while the other half has just sparse leaves on it. Branches on the naked side seem sappy still. Could this be normal, or does this suggest disease?

Eric Frei

In my 20 years here I see poincianas responding in inconsistent ways to weather.

In the drought some did not flower, some did not leaf out for a long time, some were bare at Christmas time.

Then in the cold some go yellow and drop most of their leaves, for some time.

In the wet they grow like weeds.

They really do not like cold wind and we have had a lot of it this year.

All I can say is keep it moist, mulched properly (wide and 2" deep staying 6" away from trunk) and apply Seasol, liquid blood & bone every now and then.

Time will tell, be patient, and in summer they should have a full thick lush canopy, if not check soil moisture ..... especially Sydney as it can get hot and dry there. The tree may drop leaves in long hot dry spells to reduce transpiration and save itself from a gruesome death, dehydration.

Veronica's poinciana

Oh, that wooden box idea sucks, I hope you didn't plant the tree too deep either.

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