| THE YELLOW POUI TREE
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Poui trees in full bloom behind
Sri Vasudeva
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The 40 Day Observance is a time for inner transformation at the Blue Star Centre in Claxton Bay, Trinidad and Tobago. Sri Vasudeva makes this possible through his inspiring and informative messages and meditations.
Yellow Poui trees at the Blue Star Centre,
Claxton Bay |
Nature gives her own examples of both inner and outer transformation if we will only open our awareness to them. Some are quite subtle while others are hard to miss. |
Yellow Poui flowers cover the ground
One of the most striking exhibitions of Nature during the 40 Day Observance is the blooming of the Yellow Poui. It is almost as if the supercharged atmosphere of the Blue Star Centre lends to this explosion of color in the surrounding trees.
Golden clusters of Poui flowers glow in the sun
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Yellow Poui, Tabebuia serratifolia, is a tree found in the drier areas of Trinidad where it is also known by the names Apamata and Gold Tree. The Poui is one of the largest and strongest of tropical forest trees, growing up to 150 feet tall.
Yellow oriole on Poui seed pod
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The base of a mature tree can be 4 to 7 feet in diameter! All the leaves are shed early in the dry season (~January to February) and new leaves do not appear for three to four months. Flowering takes place in April, with the yellow, trumpet shaped flowers being in large clusters. The long pod contains a lot of small feathery seeds which are wind-blown and germinate easily in moist soil.
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Commercially, Poui is prized for its stability, durability, strength and natural resistance to decay, wet conditions, and infestation by termites and borers.
It has a Class A fire rating which the same rating given to concrete and steel! Poui finds use in exterior structures such as boardwalks, piers, docks and outdoor benches due to its durability.
One example of a popular site using Poui is the Atlantic City boardwalk on the East Coast of the United States. It is also a favoured material for furniture. Medicinally, the inner lining of the bark is boiled and a tea is made that is used for stomatitis, anemia, malaria, colds, cough, flu and ulcers.
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