Poui (Tabebuia serratifolia)

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Poui Flowers

The poui or yellow cedar, blossoms in the spring and when in full bloom is one of the most colorful and dramatic trees to be found on St. John.

Poui Tree at Trinidad Charlie's

The poui tree is the national tree of Brazil.

Some species form a symbiotic relation with ants. Attracted to a sugary secretion produced by the tree, the ants serve to protect the tree from other insects and animals that would otherwise eat the leaves, bark or flowers. The genus name, Tabebuia, comes from the indigenous Brazilian Tupian Indians words for “ants” and “wood.”

Carpet of Poui Flowers

The fallen flowers make a beautiful yellow carpet on the ground beneath the tree.