Students for Stewardship The Cork Board
← Back to the library

Barbados Flower Fence

Caesalpinia pulcherrima (ses-al-PIN-ee-uh pul-cher-EE-muh)

Family: Fabaceae Unknown Understory (15-40 ft)

The Pride of Barbados is an evergreen shrub or small tree that is a member of the Fabaceae or legume family. It is originally from Mexico and the Caribbean and has beautiful showy orange-red flowers, fern-like leaves, and prickles on its stems and branches. It is the national flower of Barbados. It may also be known as Barbados Flower Fence, Barbados Pride, Dwarf Poinciana, Peacock Flower, and Red Bird of Paradise. The genus, Caesalpinia , is named in honor of the 16th-century botanist, philosopher, and physician, Andreas Caesalpini. The species name, pulcher , is Latin and means beauty. The Pride of Barbados is a deciduous shrub in zone 9 and perennial in zone 8. In the tropics, it may grow 15-20 feet tall and equally as wide. The flowers are clusters of orange-red blossoms with long red stamens. They blossom most of the year in the tropics. In climates where frost occurs, the flowers appear late summer and fall. After flowering, the fruits appear which are pod-like. When they ripen, the pods split open and disperse the small seeds. The seeds contain tannic acid that is poisonous and can result in gastrointestinal discomfort if ingested. Exercise caution if using this specimen in areas frequented by children or pets. Hot humid weather and full sun ensure flowering. It is intolerant of poorly drained soils. Once it matures it tolerates some drought. During the growing season, they perform best if watered deeply but infrequently. Pruning may be needed to maintain its shape. It may be best to avoid planting this shrub near patios or walkways due to its prickly stems and branches. Used as a specimen, accent, or border, it would add beautiful color in a sunny, hot, and humid area. The flowers also attract hummingbirds and butterflies. They are considered deer resistant. In terms of pests and diseases, the shrub may develop scale and may be susceptible to mushroom root rot in poorly drained soil.

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 74 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 2 - Understory (15-40 ft) Optimal soil pH Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Fills a similar niche Cascabela thevetia Nerium oleander Ptelea trifoliata

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Shrub; Tree
Life cycle
Perennial; Woody
USDA zones
9a, 9b, 10b, 11a, 11b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry
Available space
12-24 feet
Mature size
Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in. | Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Multi-trunked; Rounded
Texture
Fine
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Blue; Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Oblong
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Soft
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, 3-6 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
The leaves are feathery, fern-like, bluish-green in color, and 8-10 inches long. They are usually evergreen, but they may be deciduous in areas near the edge of their growing range. They have bipinnately compound leaves. Each leaf has 5-8 pinnae and 6-10 leaflets per pinnae. Each oval leaflet is about 3/4 inches long.
Fall color
Insignificant
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Orange; Red/Burgundy
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Raceme
Flower shape
Cup
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
The flowers bloom in late summer. In tropical climates, they may bloom all year round. They have bright orangish-yellow petals with 10 prominent 6 inch long bright red stamens. The individual bloom measures 2-3 inches wide and appears in 4-10 inch clusters or racemes. Each raceme has up to 40 flowers and appears on the end of the branch.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit color
Cream/Tan; Green
Fruit type
Legume
Fruit size
> 3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Waxy lima bean-shaped flat pods appear after the flowers bloom. They are 3-6 inches long and are initially green in color, then transition to red and eventually to a shiny brown. They contain 8-10 dark brown to black colored seeds. The seeds are about 1/4 inch in diameter. The pods split open when they mature and disperse the seeds. The seeds contain gallic and tannic acid and are poisonous.
Bark color
Light Brown; Light Gray; Red/Burgundy
Bark detail
The bark of a young specimen is usually purplish-red and has prickles. As it matures, the bark becomes grayish-brown, smoother, but may retain prickles.
Stem color
Purple/Lavender; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
The stems and twigs are thin, purplish-red in color with white glaucous bloom and sharp prickles. The leaf scars are raised and rounded.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, West Indies
Distribution
Angela, Argentina, Arizona, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Calfornia, Cambodia, China Southcentral, China Southeast, Cuba, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Florida, Haiti, India, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Mexico Southwest, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia, Southwest Caribbean, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Texas, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia, Zaire
Wildlife value
Flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies.
Attracts
Butterflies; Hummingbirds
Play value
Attractive Flowers
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Legume

Uses (ethnobotany)

In South America, indigenous tribes used the juice from the plant to treat fever, heal sores, and relieve coughing. In Mexico, the green seed pods are cooked and eaten. The plant has also been used to make inks and dyes. The flowers are popular in Hawaii for making lei.

Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container
Landscape theme
Butterfly Garden; Drought Tolerant Garden; Pollinator Garden; Winter Garden
Design feature
Accent; Flowering Tree; Hedge; Small Tree; Specimen
Garden tags
#flowering tree #evergreen shrub #evergreen tree #drought tolerant #small tree #winter interest #showy flowers #yellow flowers #orange flowers #problem for cats #problem for dogs #tropical feel #hummingbird friendly #butterfly friendly #hedge #prickles #screen
Problems & Resistance
Problems
Problem for Cats; Problem for Children; Problem for Dogs; Spines/Thorns
Resistant to
Deer; Drought
Propagation
Seed
Poison severity
Low
Poison parts
Leaves; Seeds
Poison symptoms
Signs of poisoning included labored breathing, eye discharge, or vomiting, and diarrhea.
Toxic principle
The leaves contain hydrogen cyanide, and the seeds and seed pods contain tannins.
Contact dermatitis
No
Toxicity summary
Low severity poison; parts: Leaves; Seeds

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.

📍 Add a planting 📝 Add to wish list