Hardiness zones
Sunset 12-16, 18-23 (coastal zone 17 with a warm exposure)
USDA 9-10 (arid and semi arid regions only)

Landscape Use: Seasonal accent, focal point, quick background screen, small multiple trunk tree

Form & Character: Large nearly evergreen shrub to small tree, arborescent, open, festive, warm, attracting

Growth Habit: Vigorous and upright to 15-25' or more with equal spread. Basal suckering is common making this a difficult plant to train as a single trunk standard..

Foliage/texture: Leaves twice pinnately compound, leaflets to 3/4" and less, medium to dark green, new growth and stems tinged purple, stems also have large, persistent thorns, medium coarse texture

Flowers & fruits: Large candelabra yellow flowers on terminal spikes, fruit a green turning to brown pod.

Seasonal color: Festive yellow color in late fall and winter

Temperature: Heat loving, more cold hardy (18^oF) than C. pulcherrima.

Light: Full sun

Soil: Tolerant.

Watering: Like the other landscape Caesalpinia, needs some summer water

Pruning: Arborescent habit makes for elevation of canopy into small tree. Prune in late spring.

Propagation: Seed

Disease and pests: White flies are only a minor problem

Additional comments: A good, albeit somewhat seldom seen, large accent or background plant for xeric landscape design themes. Blooms attract hummingbirds. Stem thorns make this a plant that should not be used close to pedestrian access ways. One exception though is the cultivar 'Smoothie' (from Mountain States Wholesale Nursery in the Phoenix area) which lacks stem thorns.