Pretty sure that's Delonix regia and you have to be in the tropics, or near-tropical subtropics, to grow it.

Actually, found another thread on gardenweb saying they grow in San Diego and Phoenix. So not quite as tropical requiring as I thought. Still you would have to be zn 10 or higher to have any chance of growing it.

What is zn? Not too sure what that means.

Yellow or higher on this map:
{{gwi:411906}}

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0103-90162008000700009#fig02

Wow, just googled and found they can even grow in Sydney, AU. Although as frost-free as Southern California, the overall warmth as measured in cooling degree days and hours of sunshine is much lower. It sounds like they had a reputation for years of needing a year-round warm subtropical climate like Brisbane or Miami but people have proven that assumption wrong.
Where are you?

I am in San Antonio, Texas

better question .. is .. where is mom ...

and how does her location differ from yours????

ken

sorry I think San Antonio is too cold
there's probably something similar though, ask at the Texas Garden forum
Off the top of my head, Caesalpinia pulcherrima looks similar and is a bit hardier

@Ken
She is in McAllen Texas.

so being a hardcore MI boy ...

whats the difference between McAllen and San antonio????

answered my own question at the link ...

you might want to call your county extension office.. and see if they know the answer ....

since you have seed ... why not try it ...

any clue how to grow tree seeds ... to a plant-able size ...??? ...perhaps a new post on that topic ....

its one thing.. to spend $200 on a specimen... playing the zone pushing game ...

its a whole other world.. to play around with some free seeds ... dont you think ...

give it a go ... whats to lose???

see you at the new post ...

BTW: are we firm on that ID????

ken

ps: davids research is spot on ... but hey.. you have free seed ...

Here is a link that might be useful: link

@Ken
She is in McAllen Texas.

Texas is huge. You wouldn't think San Antonio is far from the southern tip of TX (McAllen) but it's 230 miles away.
The Delonix could survive milder winters but one like 2011 would finish it off in central TX while it would survive further south.