| General Description | A fast growing small evergreen tree. |
| ID Characteristic | Sharp prickles along the stem that bore pinnae leaves. Concave shaped petalled flowers. |
| Landscape | It is a striking ornamental plant, widely grown in domestic and public gardens and has a beautiful inflorescence in yellow, red and orange. Its small size and the fact that it tolerates pruning well allows it to be planted in groups to form a hedgerow; it can be also used to attract hummingbirds. |
| Propagation | Propagate by seed or by softwood cuttings. |
| Cultivation | Best grown in direct sunlight in dry soil. |
| Pests | No major issues. |
| Notable Specimens | Pha Tad Ke Botanical Garden, Luang Prabang, Laos. |
| Habitat | The tropics and subtropics of the Americas. |
| Leaf Description | The leaves are bipinnate, 20-40 cm long, bearing 3-10 pairs of pinnae, each with 6-10 pairs of leaflets 15-25 mm long and 10-15 mm broad. |
| Flower Description | The flowers are borne in racemes up to 20 cm long, each flower with five yellow, orange or red petals. |
| Fruit Description | The fruit is a pod 6-12 cm long. |
