Eden

Penang Botanic Gardens Plant Collection

Cassia javanica L. (FABACEAE)

Posted at — Nov 13, 2019
Pink Shower, Java Cassia, Rainbow Shower Tree

Description

An attractive small to medium-sized deciduous or semi-deciduous tree. Inflorescence a raceme or panicle, terminal on leafy shoots or lateral on short side branches, up to 16 cm long, many-flowered; flowers whitish to reddish or buff. In places with a more distinct dry season, the crown blossoms with pink flowers after leaf fall. Fruits pendent, cylindrical, 20-60 cm long.

Ecology

Low elevations in more open sites in evergreen and deciduous monsoon forest or even savannah-like vegetation.

Distribution

The species is distributed in India, Myanmar, Thailand, Pen. Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines.

Uses

Often in cultivation as a wayside tree. The species is rather polymorphic and several subspecies are found SE Asia. All of them have rather attractive flowers and all are found in cultivation but the ssp. javanica is most often grown.