Gulmohar Tree Colouring Page

Royal poinciana, Delonix regia, is widely called gulmohar, flame tree or flamboyant. It is native to Madagascar but is now planted along streets and in gardens across many warm countries. The tree often grows 10 to 15 metres tall and develops a broad umbrella-shaped crown that can be wider than the tree is high. With suitable care it may live for several decades, sometimes 50 years or more. Its leaves are twice divided into many tiny leaflets, giving them a soft fern-like look. In late spring or early summer, large red-orange flowers cover the crown. One petal often has a paler or patterned splash, and long flat seed pods later hang from the branches. Gulmohar may shed leaves during a dry or cool period before producing fresh foliage and flowers. Nectar and pollen attract bees, butterflies and nectar-feeding birds, while squirrels use the spreading branches as pathways. The heavy shade beneath a mature crown can make a pleasant rest area, which is why the scene includes a simple schoolyard bench. Children should not break branches or chew pods and seeds. They can collect a naturally fallen flower with an adult, but living blossoms are more valuable to pollinators when left on the tree. Start with the fiery flower canopy. Traditional colours are scarlet, vermilion, orange-red and yellow at the centres, but a child may invent a pink or rainbow gulmohar. Use fresh green on the rows of tiny leaflets and a darker green where leaves overlap. Seed pods can be green when young or deep brown when mature. The trunk suits warm grey or medium brown with slightly darker creases. A sunbird may shimmer purple, blue, green and yellow; the squirrel can be brown or grey with a pale belly, and bees can have golden bands. Colour the school grass light green, the empty bench brown or blue and the late-spring sky pale blue. Small repeating strokes work well on the leaflets, while broad smooth colour suits the large petals. Keep narrow white gaps between flower clusters so the crown does not become one solid block. Notice how the long pods, feathery leaves and wide shape make this tree easy to recognise.

◫ A4 size✎ Bold outlines♡ Ages 3–8

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Make it an activity

Choose a favourite colour palette
Add a simple background
Display the finished artwork

Grown-up note: Please supervise printing and choose age-appropriate art materials.