GDV-005 · Bignoniaceae
Handroanthus ochraceus
Handroanthus ochraceus
- Common name
- Cortez amarillo
- Scientific name
- Handroanthus ochraceus
- Genus
- Handroanthus
- Family
- Bignoniaceae
Natural history
Handroanthus ochraceus belongs to the Bignoniaceae family; older publications list it as Tabebuia ochracea. It is a deciduous tree of dry forest and seasonal forests on Costa Rica's Pacific slope.
It sheds its leaves between December and February and flowers without foliage. An out-of-season rain or a cold front can trigger flowering a few days later; each flower lasts one day, and the crown stays lit for four or five days.
Its flowers are not fertilised by pollen from the same tree, so synchronised flowering favours exchange between individuals. The pods ripen in about three weeks and release winged seeds before the rains.