With spring in full swing in the Southern Hemisphere, there is an abundance of flowers everywhere. This is the time when the ceibo –Erythrina crista-galli, also known as cockspur or coral tree- is in full bloom.
This fiery red flower was designated national flower of Argentina in 1942 for a variety of reasons. Some of the reasons are that the tree grows in many parts of the country; that it is mentioned in legends, folk songs and poems and that the national coat of arms bears its colour.
Ceibo (Cockspur) at Palermo's Rose Garden (Buenos Aires)
Ceibo (Cockspur) at Palermo's Rose Garden (Buenos Aires)
Ana Astri-O’Reilly is from Argentina, where she lived until five years ago. She currently lives in Dallas, USA with her British husband, but they move a lot. Previously a translator and English and Spanish teacher, Ana first started writing to share her experiences and adventures with friends and family. She speaks Spanish, English and a smattering of Portuguese.
I’ve never heard of this flower before. It’s very pretty. What’s the temperature like in Buenos Aires at the moment?
Today it reached 32 Celsius (about 90 F, I should think.)