Pterocarpus michelianus

Native from southwestern Mexico through Central America to Costa Rica, this tree can reach about fifty feet tall. It sheds its leaves during the dry season and can flower profusely while its branches are bare. Golden-yellow to orange pea-shaped flowers attract bees and other insects. The flattened, circular fruits have a thin wing surrounding a single seed. Thick, reddish sap flows from deep wounds in the bark. The tree is used for living fences and soil protection. Photographed in Colombia.