The Flamboyan

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It’s early June in South Florida, and that means that the Royal Poinciana, or Flamboyan in Spanish, is in full bloom. It’s impossible to miss these trees with their brilliant red flowers while driving around, and many roads in the Miami area have nice Poinciana canopies.
Being a tropical tree, the flamboyan is also common in Cuba, and thus many Cubans have a special attachment to them. I can’t help but wonder how many bittersweet memories the red blooms bring back: childhood memories, memories of loss, heartbreak, exile, etc.
Anyway, this post really isn’t to accentuate the negative feelings the tree can evoke. However, the tree is probably another thing that’s keeping Val busy these days.