Accession Count: 1
Common Name:
golden shower
Family Name:
Fabaceae
Botanical Name:
Cassia fistula
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
Characteristics:
Leaves of C. fistula are pinnately-compound and up to a foot in length with 4 inch long shiny leaflets. Flowers are bright yellow and form in hanging clusters 12 to 18 inches in length. Typically, blooming occurs just after the leaves drop in May. The pods are dark brown, cylindrical, and can be up to 2 feet long.
Compound:
Cas fis
Geographic Origin:
India
Ecozone Origin:
Indomalaya
Biome Origin:
Natural History:
======================================================================= Natural History of the UA Campus Arboretum Specimen:This striking tree is just one of dozens of trees introduced to the University of Arizona campus by Warren Jones. Warren remembers
Cultivation Notes:
Seeds are similar to those of many other hard-coated legumes; germination is enhanced if seed coats are softened or scarified. Frost-tender and evergreen, it is adapted to USDA zones 9.5 and warmer. However, the tree on UA campus is thriving in a protected microclimate with a west-facing exposure. In Tucson (zone 9), the leaves renew each June after the spectacular bloom. As it matures hardiness may increase. It is also adapted to most soils and appreciates the heat but not the drying winds of the southwest. Moderate watering in the summer along with a shady root zone has allowed the UA Golden Shower Tree to prosper.
Ethnobotany:
Known for years as "Purging Cassia," Cassia fistula is currently advertised/marketed as an effective astringent purgative/laxative and is used for colic and flatulence. The active part used in medicine are the fruit or pods, which are pounded to release the sweetish pulp. Researchers have evaluated Cassia fistula for anti-bacterial properties as a cough suppressant and for its potential to restrict or protect against nematodes.
Height:
Width:
Growth Rate:
Grow Season:
Flower Season:
ForeSummer
Color:
Yellow
Function:
Spread:
Allergen:
Non-allergenic
Invasive:
Toxicity:
Benign
Hardy:
Water Use:
Moderate Water Use
