Trees of Oaxaca (Part 2)

As I understand it, here in Oaxaca plants under stress for lack of water flower in a desperate attempt to reproduce. If they can't survive, at least their offspring might. For the plants, that seems kind of sad. But for us humans, this makes for a colorful show of flowers just as the grasses are turning brown. So, many of the trees that were of little notice when we arrived back in October (at the end of the rainy season) are now blazing with color and attracting my attention, for one. If you are here for the the "Mystery Tree" contest, read on...


Jacaranda Tree-
This shaggy-looking legume (above left) is everywhere in Oaxaca. Since we arrived it has had hard, rounded bean pods. Here (above right) is what it looks like in February!


Framboya (Delonix regia) - in Spanish, "Framboyan"- one of several trees known as the "flame tree". It is so beautiful in bloom (below left) that it's hard to find pictures of it NOT in bloom (below right).

Primavera (Spanish for the season, "Spring") or Trumpet tree (genus Tabebuia),  - explodes in yellow flowers early February. This time, NO photos of this tree before it bloomed!

Plumeria - planted as propped up sticks in the ground (below left), grow in all kinds of tough urban settings, and bloom beautifully (below right).

You may recall this scene from
a previous post ("What could go Wrong?"),
before these Plumerias were "planted" 

Orchid Tree (genus Bauhinia, species ???) - I swear there is an Orchid Tree in Llano park that has been blooming the whole time we have been here. The flowers on this tree are lovely, and of varied colors, the leaves look like little green butterflies, and it also produces nice light green bean pods.

Montezuma cypress (Taxodium mucronatum) -"The Tree of Tule" (TUH-lee).

Tule Tree from under the canopy

This specimen is a massive 2,000 year old tree with a 46 foot diameter (they say it's the biggest diameter of any tree in the world), on the grounds of an old church in the town of Tule, a pleasant day trip by bus from Oaxaca City. Not sure if/when it flowers, but I did hear that it is dying. In any case, it demands one's attention with or without flowers!

Tule Tree Dwarfing the church

Mystery Tree: identify the tree below, post your answer on the blog as a comment, and you will be eligible for valuable prizes*.

Name that tree!