flame tree

/fleɪm tɹiː/

noun

Any tree or shrub with yellow or bright red flowers from several species including

“The people stared in awe at the magnificently colored flame tree.”

Meanings

nounflame tree (plural flame trees)

plural flame trees

  1. Any tree or shrub with yellow or bright red flowers from several species including

    The people stared in awe at the magnificently colored flame tree.

  2. Any tree or shrub with yellow or bright red flowers from several species including:
    1. Rhododendron arboreum (tree rhododendron), of southern Asia
    2. Brachychiton acerifolius (syn. Sterculia acerifolia.

      […] its scarlet-flowered cousin the maple leaved Sterculia, or Australian flame-tree, which we grow in California for ornament, too, is a tough waterproof fiber a couple of inches thick, that is good material for cordage and mats.

      1919, Charles Francis Saunders, With the Flowers and Trees in California, R.M. McBride & Co., section 47

      Synonyms: Australian flame tree, Illawarra flame tree, lacebark tree

    3. Delonix regia (royal poinciana), native to Madagascar
    4. Alloxylon flammeum (Queensland tree waratah, red silky oak)
    5. Embothrium coccineum (Chilean flame tree, Chilean firebush)
    6. Erythrina abyssinica, of eastern and southern Africa
    7. Erythrina spp. (coral trees), of most tropical and subtropical regions
    8. Koelreuteria bipinnata (Chinese flame tree)
    9. Nuytsia floribunda (Australian Christmas tree)
    10. Peltophorum spp. (African flame tree)
    11. Spathodea campanulata (African tulip tree, African flame tree)

Synonyms & antonyms

nounBrachychiton acerifolius (syn. Sterculia acerifolia.

Broader

More synonyms by meaning

nouna terrestrial evergreen shrub or small tree of western Australia having brilliant yellow-orange flowers; parasitic on roots of grasses

Similar
fire treeChristmas treeNuytsia floribunda
Broader
parasitic plant

nounshowy tropical tree or shrub native to Madagascar; widely planted in tropical regions for its immense racemes of scarlet and orange flowers; sometimes placed in genus Poinciana

Similar
royal poincianaflamboyantpeacock flowerDelonix regiaPoinciana regia
Broader
angiospermous treeflowering tree

nounnorth Australian tree having white flowers and broad leaves

Similar
broad-leaved bottletreeBrachychiton australis
Broader
bottle-treebottle tree

nounsouth Australian tree having panicles of brilliant scarlet flowers

Similar
flame durrajongBrachychiton acerifoliusSterculia acerifolia
Broader
bottle-treebottle tree

nountropical American thorny shrub or small tree; fragrant yellow flowers used in making perfumery

Similar
huisachecassiemimosa bushsweet wattlesweet acaciascented wattleAcacia farnesiana
Broader

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

flame + tree, from the fiery colour of the flowers.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

flame tree. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/flame%20tree

MLA

“flame tree.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/flame%20tree. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “flame tree,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/flame%20tree.

Source: flame tree on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.