Common name(s): Golden shower, Bahava
Scientific name: Cassia fistula
Description
Golden shower is a fast-growing tree that reaches 30 to 40 feet in height and 30 to 40 feet wide. The well-spaced branches are clothed with pinnately compound leaves, with leaflets up to eight inches long and 2.5 inches wide. These leaves will drop from the tree for a short period of time and are quickly replaced by new leaves. In summer, golden showers are decorated with thick clusters of showy yellow blooms which cover the slightly drooping branches. The blooms are followed by the production of 2-foot-long, dark brown, cylindrical seedpods which persist on the tree throughout the winter before falling to litter the ground. The seeds contained within are poisonous.
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Plant care & instruction
A golden shower is ideal for use as a specimen planting. It can look a bit coarse and unkempt for short periods when the leaves drop but the vibrant flower display more than makes up for this. Some communities have planted this as a street tree where it has held up quite well. Golden showers should be grown in full sun on well-drained soil. The trees are moderately drought- and salt-tolerant. Although the golden shower is damaged by temperatures falling slightly below freezing, it will come back with warmer weather. Trees will occasionally need pruning when they are young to control their shape and develop a uniform crown. Young trees can grow asymmetrical with branches often drooping toward the ground. Staking and proper pruning will help develop a well-shaped and structured crown. Propagation is by seeds (which are poisonous).
Light - Full sunlight.
Place - The plant needs to be placed outdoors as it requires full sunlight.
Water - Water the tree freely during the heat of spring through fall when the plant actively grows with new leaves and stem length. Supplement natural rainfall as the soil needs to keep moist. Droughts during the summer growing season retards the growth and may cause premature leaf drop or branch die-back.
Fertilizer - Apply a general, well-balanced fertilizer annually.
Temperature - Hardiness 35º-40ºF. Extensive frost or subfreezing temperatures cause full leaf defoliation.
Special Features
It is used medicinally for treating constipation, common cold, chlorosis, and urinary disorders. Its leaves are effective against herpes simplex and the bark of Cassia is one of the ingredients in ayurvedic and other traditional medicine antidiabetic formulations.
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