Vivid scarlet to orange-red large flowers in racemes; pods are dark brown woody legumes up to 60 cm long
Odor Strength
Medium
Producing Countries
Madagascar
Pyramid
Heart
Two trees, one name. The flame tree (Delonix regia) bears vivid red flowers in tropical heat. The Christmas tree (Metrosideros excelsa, New Zealand pohutukawa) blooms crimson in December. Both are scentless spectacles.
A fantasy interpretation: warm, bright, vaguely floral-green with a honey edge. Since neither tree carries significant fragrance, the accord is a translation of visual heat -- blazing red against green -- into olfactory warmth. Lighter than frangipani, less sweet than ylang, with a green-tropical airiness.
This entry conflates two unrelated trees commonly called 'Christmas tree' or 'flame tree.' Delonix regia (royal poinciana, flamboyant) is a tropical legume from Madagascar with spectacular red-orange flowers; its blooms carry minimal fragrance. Metrosideros excelsa (pohutukawa) is a New Zealand native that blooms in red brushlike flowers around Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere; also near-scentless.
Neither tree produces a commercially significant essential oil or absolute. In perfumery, this is a fantasy accord inspired by the visual impact of masses of red flowers against tropical or coastal foliage. The accord would typically blend a bright, warm floral impression (geraniol, linalool) with green-leaf notes and a faint honey sweetness.
Functionally, this is an atmospheric accord evoking tropical flowering landscapes. It works in the heart zone of tropical, summery, and southern-hemisphere-themed compositions. The cultural reference is visual rather than olfactory -- these trees are remembered for how they look, not how they smell.
This note in Première Peau. Nuit Elastique · Rose Monotone. Sample all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.
The pohutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa) is called 'New Zealand's Christmas tree' because it blooms in December -- midsummer in the Southern Hemisphere. A single specimen on Cape Reinga, at the northern tip of New Zealand, is considered sacred by Maori as the point where spirits of the dead depart for the afterlife.
Extraction & Chemistry
Extraction method: No commercial essential oil or absolute exists for either Delonix regia or Metrosideros excelsa flowers. The note is an entirely fantasy reconstruction.
Molecular Formula
N/A — complex natural extract (no single formula)
CAS Number
N/A — no commercially isolated single molecule from Delonix regia flowers
Botanical Name
Delonix regia (Flame Tree)
IFRA Status
No known restrictions
Synonyms
DELONIX REGIA · ROYAL POINCIANA
Physical Properties
Odor Strength
Medium
Appearance
Vivid scarlet to orange-red large flowers in racemes; pods are dark brown woody legumes up to 60 cm long
In Perfumery
Christmas tree / flame tree is a visual-to-olfactory fantasy accord for the heart zone. Since neither Delonix regia nor Metrosideros excelsa carries significant natural fragrance, the accord translates their visual spectacle (masses of red tropical flowers) into scent. Built from warm florals (geraniol, linalool), green-leaf notes, and faint honey. Works in tropical, summery, and southern-hemisphere compositions.
