Taxon:  Spathodea campanulata P. Beauv.



Summary
Genus:
Spathodea
Family:
Bignoniaceae
Nomen number:
35209
Place of publication:
Fl. Oware 1:47, t. 27, 28.  1805
Verified:
03/30/2012 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
30 (2  active, 1  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Spathodea nilotica Seem.

Images (1 total. Click on image for more.)
Seed

Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
  2. PROTABASE, the information base of PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa) (on-line resource).
  3. Adams, C. 1972. Flowering plants of Jamaica
  4. Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
  5. APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
  6. Aubréville, A. et al., eds. 1963-. Flore du Cameroun.
  7. Backer, C. A. & R. C. Bakhuizen van den Brink, Jr. 1963-1968. Flora of Java.
  8. Boutelje, J. B. 1980. Encyclopedia of world timbers, names and technical literature
  9. Brako, L. & J. L. Zarucchi. 1993. Catalogue of the flowering plants and gymnosperms of Peru. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45
  10. Burger, W. C., ed. 1971-. Flora costaricensis.
  11. Burkill, H. M. 1985. The useful plants of west tropical Africa. 1:263-265.
  12. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2010. Ecocrop (on-line resource).
  13. Friedmann, F. 1994. Flore des Seychelles ORSTOM Éditions, Paris, France.
  14. Gentry, A. H. 1980. Bignoniaceae - Part I (Crescentieae and Tourrettieae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 25(1):45.
  15. Gentry, A. H. 1992. Bignoniaceae - Part II (Tribe Tecomeae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 25(2):118.
  16. Gómez-Pompa, A. & V. Sosa, eds. 1978-. Flora de Veracruz.
  17. Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
  18. Harling, G. & B. Sparre, eds. 1973-. Flora of Ecuador.
  19. Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
  20. Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
  21. Jardin botanique national de Belgique. 1967-. Flore du Congo, du Rwanda et du Burundi (Flore d'Afrique centrale).
  22. Jørgensen, P. M. & S. León-Yánez, eds. 1999. Catalogue of the vascular plants of Ecuador. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 75
  23. Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
  24. Labrada, R. & A. Díaz-Medina. 2009. The invasiveness of the African tulip tree, Spathodea campanulata Beauv. Biodiversity 10:79-82. DOI: 10.1080/14888386.2009.9712848.
  25. Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
  26. Liebreghts, W. 1997. pers. comm. Note: re. common names
  27. Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
  28. Personal Care Products Council. International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient
  29. Porcher, M. H. et al. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND) (on-line resource).
  30. Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
  31. Reitz, R., ed. 1965-. Flora ilustrada catarinense.
  32. Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes. Note: mentions
  33. Standley, P. C. & J. A. Steyermark. 1946-1976. Flora of Guatemala.
  34. Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
  35. Stevens, W. D. et al., eds. 2001. Flora de Nicaragua. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 85(1-3).
  36. Sutton, G. F. et al. 2017. Genetic matching of invasive populations of the African tulip tree, Spathodea campanulata Beauv. (Bignoniaceae), to their native distribution: Maximising the likelihood of selecting host-compatible biological control agents. Biol. Control 114:167-175. DOI: 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2017.08.015.
  37. Wagner, W. L. et al. 1990. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawai'i
  38. Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
  39. Woodson, R. E. & R. W. Schery, eds. 1943-1980. Flora of Panama.
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
EnglishAfrican-tuliptree  1Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Englishflame-of-the-forest  1Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Englishflametree  1Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
Englishtuliptree  1Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
Frenchtulipier du Gabon  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Germanafrikanischer Tulpenbaum  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Portuguese (Brazil)bisnagueira  2Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Portuguese (Brazil)espatódea  2Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Portuguese (Brazil)tulipeira-da-África  2Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Spanishtulipán africano  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Swedishafrikanskt tulpanträd  2Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaAngola  Jardin botanique national de Belgique. 1967-. Flore du Congo, du Rwanda et du Burundi (Flore d'Afrique centrale).
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaBenin  Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaCôte D'Ivoire  Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaGhana  Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaGuinea  Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaLiberia  Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaNigeria  Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaSierra Leone  Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1NativeAfricaWest Tropical AfricaTogo  Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1NativeAfricaWest-Central Tropical AfricaBurundi  Jardin botanique national de Belgique. 1967-. Flore du Congo, du Rwanda et du Burundi (Flore d'Afrique centrale).
1NativeAfricaWest-Central Tropical AfricaCameroon  Aubréville, A. et al., eds. 1963-. Flore du Cameroun.
1NativeAfricaWest-Central Tropical AfricaDemocratic Republic of the Congo  Jardin botanique national de Belgique. 1967-. Flore du Congo, du Rwanda et du Burundi (Flore d'Afrique centrale).
1NativeAfricaWest-Central Tropical AfricaEquatorial GuineaBioko Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1NativeAfricaWest-Central Tropical AfricaGabon  Aubréville, A. et al., eds. 1963-. Flore du Cameroun.
1NativeAfricaWest-Central Tropical AfricaRwanda  Jardin botanique national de Belgique. 1967-. Flore du Congo, du Rwanda et du Burundi (Flore d'Afrique centrale).
2Cultivated    also cult. 
4NaturalizedAfricaWestern Indian OceanComoros  Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedAfricaWestern Indian OceanMayotte  Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedAfricaWestern Indian OceanReunion  Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedAfricaWestern Indian OceanSeychelles  Friedmann, F. 1994. Flore des Seychelles ORSTOM Éditions, Paris, France.
4NaturalizedAsia-TropicalMalesiaSingapore  Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedAustralasiaAustraliaAustralia  Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedPacificNorth-Central PacificUnited StatesHawaii Wagner, W. L. et al. 1990. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawai'i
4NaturalizedPacificNorthwestern PacificMicronesia  Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedPacificNorthwestern PacificPalau  Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedPacificNorthwestern PacificUnited StatesGuam Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedPacificSouth-Central PacificCook Islands  Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedPacificSouth-Central PacificFrench Polynesia  Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedPacificSouthwestern PacificFiji  Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedPacificSouthwestern PacificNiue  Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedPacificSouthwestern PacificSamoa  Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedPacificSouthwestern PacificTonga  Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedPacificSouthwestern PacificVanuatu  Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedPacificSouthwestern PacificWallis and Futuna Islands  Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCaribbeanWest Indies  Gentry, A. H. 1992. Bignoniaceae - Part II (Tribe Tecomeae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 25(2):118.
Native
Africa
  • WEST-CENTRAL TROPICAL AFRICA: Burundi, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea [Bioko], Rwanda
  • WEST TROPICAL AFRICA: Benin, Côte D'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Togo
  • SOUTH TROPICAL AFRICA: Angola
Cultivated (also cult.)
Naturalized
Africa
  • WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN: Comoros, Reunion, Seychelles, Mayotte
Asia-Tropical
  • MALESIA: Singapore
Australasia
  • AUSTRALIA: Australia
Pacific
  • NORTH-CENTRAL PACIFIC: United States [Hawaii]
  • NORTHWESTERN PACIFIC: Micronesia, Palau, United States [Guam]
  • SOUTH-CENTRAL PACIFIC: Cook Islands, French Polynesia
  • SOUTHWESTERN PACIFIC: Fiji, Niue, Tonga, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna Islands, Samoa
Southern America
  • CARIBBEAN: West Indies

Reference(s)
  1. Aubréville, A. et al., eds. 1963-. Flore du Cameroun.
  2. Friedmann, F. 1994. Flore des Seychelles ORSTOM Éditions, Paris, France.
  3. Gentry, A. H. 1992. Bignoniaceae - Part II (Tribe Tecomeae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 25(2):118.
  4. Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
  5. Jardin botanique national de Belgique. 1967-. Flore du Congo, du Rwanda et du Burundi (Flore d'Afrique centrale).
  6. Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
  7. Wagner, W. L. et al. 1990. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawai'i
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Environmentalornamental Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Environmentalornamental Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
Weed invasive in disturbed sites and coffe plantations in Cuba and Dominican RepublicLabrada, R. & A. Díaz-Medina. 2009. The invasiveness of the African tulip tree, Spathodea campanulata Beauv. Biodiversity 10:79-82. DOI: 10.1080/14888386.2009.9712848.
Weed invasive in forested sites and agricultural fields in FijiSutton, G. F. et al. 2017. Genetic matching of invasive populations of the African tulip tree, Spathodea campanulata Beauv. (Bignoniaceae), to their native distribution: Maximising the likelihood of selecting host-compatible biological control agents. Biol. Control 114:167-175. DOI: 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2017.08.015.
Weed Pacific islandsLiebreghts, W. 1997. pers. comm. Note: re. common names
Weedseed contaminantpotentialWeber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=35209. Accessed 15 April 2026.