A yellow carpet of fallen petals, delicate leaflets which cast a mosaic of welcoming shade, and large clusters of persistent rose-colored, papery capsules all help to make Chinese flame-tree a very popular landscape tree over a wide area of the South. One of only a few yellow-flowering trees for the mid- and deep-south landscape. This broad-spreading, deciduous tree reaches a height of 40 to 60 feet and eventually takes on a flat-topped, somewhat irregular silhouette. It is often used as a patio, shade, street, or specimen tree. The small, fragrant, yellow flowers appear in very showy, dense, terminal panicles in early summer, and are followed in late summer or fall by large clusters of the two-inch-long "Chinese lanterns". These papery husks are held above the foliage and retain their pink color after drying and are very popular for use in everlasting flower arrangements. The bark on Chinese flame-tree is smooth and light brown when young, becoming ridged and furrowed as the tree matures.

USDA hardiness zones: 7A through 10A