Belonging to the legume family Fabaceae, the species Cassia fistula is commonly known as Golden Shower Tree and is a native species belonging to the Indian subcontinent and regions of southeast Asia. It is the national tree and national flower of Thailand; the state flower of Kerala, India; and the provincial flower of North Central Province, Sri Lanka.
A popular attractive ornamental tree, it is a medium to large tree growing up to 8 metres, producing masses of bright golden flowers in clusters. It is also used in herbal medicine. Introduced to Australia, it has naturalised in northern, central and south-eastern Queensland, near Darwin in the north-western parts of the Northern Territory and the northern parts of Western Australia.
Whilst it is found in tropical and subtropical areas, it also grows well in dry climates, being relatively drought-tolerant. The images here are from Alice Springs in Central Australia.
Common name
Golden Shower, Golden Shower Tree, Golden Rain Tree, Indian laburnum, Pudding-pipe Tree, Purging Cassia.
- Scientific classification
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Clade: Tracheophytes
- Clade: Angiosperms
- Clade: Eudicots
- Clade: Rosids
- Order: Fabales
- Family: Fabaceae
- Genus: Cassia
- Species: C. fistula
- Binomial name: Cassia fistula
Footnote & References
- Cassia fistula, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassia_fistula (last visited Dec. 15, 2021)
- Grow me instead, A Guide for Gardeners in Northern Territory, Nursery & Garden Industry Australia, http://www.growmeinstead.com.au/public/GMI-brochure-Northern-Territory.pdf
- Cassia fistula, Weeds of Australia, https://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/media/Html/cassia_fistula.htm
FloraFlora in Australia Flora Index Acacia Anigozanthos (Kangaroo Paws) Annual Yellowtop Apium prostratum subsp. prostratum var filiforme Apple Bush (Pterocaulon sphacelatum) Australian Bluebell Australian Gossypium Banksia Batswing Coral Tree Billy Buttons Birdsville Indigo Blue Pincushion Bush Banana Callistemon Callitris drummondii (Drummond’s Cypress Pine) Calothamnus quadrifidus Cape Honeysuckle Cassia fistula (Golden Shower) Cattle Bush Common Heath Crotalaria Darwinia wittwerorum (Wittwer’s Mountain Bell) Daviesia oppositifolia (Rattle-pea) Desert Oaks Drumsticks Eremophila Eucalyptus Ficus Flannel Cudweed (Actinobole uliginosum) Georges Indigo Goatshead Burr (Sclerolaena bicornis) Golden Everlasting Goodenia Gossypium Grass and Grasses Grass Trees Grevillea Grey Germander Hakea Kapok Bush (Aerva javanica) Lambertia sp Leptospermum MacDonnell Ranges Cycad Maireana scleroptera Mexican Poppy Minnie Daisy Mistletoe Family Nardoo Native Apricot Nicotiana megalosiphon subspecies sessilifolia Nuytsia floribunda Orange Spade Flower Orchidaceae Parakeelyas (Calandrinia) Pebble Bush (Stylobasium spathulatum) Perennial Yellow Top Pink Everlasting Pink Rock Wort Poached Egg Daisy Portulaca Proteaceae Ptilotus Quandong Resurrection Fern Rosy Dock Ruby Saltbush Santalum Solanum Spike Centaury Spinifex Storkbill (Erodum cygnorum) Striped Mint Bush Sturt’s Desert Pea Sturt’s Desert Rose Tall Saltbush Tangled Leschenaultia Tar Vine Tribulus eichlerianus Upside-down Plant Urodon dasyphylla Variable Daisy Waratah (Telopea) Wertabona Daisy White Cedar (Melia azedarach) White Indigo White Paper Daisy Wild Passionfruit Wild Stock Woolly-Headed Burr Daisy Woolly Bush Yellow-keeled Swainsona
Flora & FaunaFauna Flora Fauna Flora Funga Glossary Funga Related Topics Scientific Classification Backyard Wildlife Floral Emblems of Australia Wildflowers