Cannonball tree with fruit and flower

Alien Tree, originally uploaded by 5cheherazad3.

The Cannonball tree (Couroupita guianensis) is a very strange looking tree. Its trunk is covered with vine looking branches that wrap around the tree in a tangled web. Beautiful and exotic looking flowers grow on these branches. The fruit when it devolops have the shape of large balls the size of cannonball and thus the name.

Japanese Sakura at Himeji Castle

Himeji Castle Photoshopped, originally uploaded by show and tell.

For more than 1200 years there has been a tradition of "flower viewing" in Japan, often referred to as "Sakura" which means "Cherry Blossoms". Every year a great deal of attention is given to the prediction and tracking of the Cherry blossom "front" as the blossoming period moves steadily from south to north. As I recall there was quite a row this last year as several of the Meteorological Agencies were a few days off in their predictions. It seems that a lot of people plan their visits to Japan in order to be able to witness and celebrate the Sakura.

Mediterranean coral tree

Mediterranean coral tree (アメリカデイゴ) #3658, originally uploaded by Nemo's great uncle.

This flower does look a lot like a member of the Erythrina genus but I am not sure which species it is exactly. I can rule out Caffra, Crista-galli and lysestimon. At any rate the picture is beautiful.