African Tulip tree comes from the rainforests of Equatorial Africa. With its beauty and acceptance the tree is now found in many countries in the Pacific rims. The plant prefers wet climate but can also survive well in highlands. The most memorable part about this trees are the buds. It contain a liquid that will squirt out if they are squeezed. We as children would enjoy using these buds as water pistols or playing with the boat like open seed pods. This is one of the world's most spectacular flowering trees. It is also very fast growing [ at a rate of 6 ft in height and 2 inches in diameter per year. Blooming will start when they are few years old. The down side about this tree is that the trunk and branches are of brittle wood. They tend to become hollow. It become quite a nuisance during strong winds where they breaks and falls down. I have read that some part of the tree is toxic. African hunters have boiled the seeds to extract poison for their arrows