Needle-shedding cypress trees signal the beginning of the winter dry season,
But is there a similar conspicuous botanical clue that the wet season has begun?
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| Royal Poincianas bloom in May |
Turns out that there is, only in this case to see it you have to venture closer into town to find it. The Royal Poinciana tree unleashes a fiery display of flowers each year about mid May. Streets literally light up in their presence. But it’s a strange red luminescence in that it does not bring warmth, rather shade … a very deep and luxurious shade …
All thanks to its copious canopy of outstretching branches and fern-like leaves.
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| And they shed in June with the start of the summer rains |
Rain drops and wind from the start of the rainy season soon to follow send these flame-like flowers to the ground one by one, or in clusters, on the blacktop and inevitably in puddles where when you see them you half expect to hear them sizzle:
Red hot flowers on rain cooled asphalt.
