The Flaming “Tabachin” Tree
When you live in a paradise like Los Cabos, Mexico, where the average temperature only varies about 16 degrees Celsius, our seasons go from Warm to Hot back to Warm again.
Living in Cabo is almost like a Groundhog Day of glorious weather. When you are here full time, it can be easy to forget what official season we are currently in. Sometimes it stuns me to hear tales of snowed in towns on the news. I think, “oh, yeah… that’s right, its winter”.
While we wear shorts most days, we do have one big, bright signal that summer has arrived; the blooming of the Tabachin Tree. This tree is known by its bright orange and red blossoms that seem to appear overnight. These blossoms are so beautiful and the grab your full attention. They have earned the nickname The Flame Tree because they look like they are on fire. Maybe their bright orange and red blossom is a sign of the blazing summer to come, and we locals look forward all year long to watching these trees bloom.
The Flame Tree is also known as the royal poinciana. It grows quickly in tropical regions. For us in BCS, it only blooms during the humid season of summer. It can grow to over 35 feet high and just loves the sun. It puts off a seed pod that looks like a giant green bean and can be over a foot long.
It can take from six to ten years for a tree to bloom for the first time. Because the vibrant display only lasts for a month at most, it is worth taking a closer look at them when they decide to share their brilliance with us. The Tabachin tree is just one more magical thing about Los Cabos.
