| Cassia fistula | |
|---|---|
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| Golden shower tree in bloom | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Caesalpinioideae |
| Genus: | Cassia |
| Species: | C. fistula |
| Binomial name | |
| Cassia fistula | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Cassia fistula, also known asgolden shower,[3]purging cassia,[4]Indian laburnum,[5]kani konna,[6] orpudding-pipe tree,[7] is aflowering plant in the familyFabaceae. The species is native to theIndian subcontinent and adjacent regions ofSoutheast Asia. It is the officialstate flower ofKerala state andDelhi UT inIndia,[6] as well as thenational tree and flower of Thailand.[8] It is also a popularornamental plant and is also used inherbal medicine.
| Language | Vernacular Name | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Hindi | Amaltas | अमलतास |
| Sanskrit | Aragvadha | आरग्वध |
| Tamil | Konrai | கொன்றை |
| Telugu | Rela | రేగు చెట్టు / రెల |
| Kannada | Kakke | ಕಕ್ಕೆ |
| Malayalam | Kanikonna | കണിക്കൊന്ന |
| Bengali | Sonalu / Bandarlathi | সোনালু / বান্দরলাঠি |
| Urdu | Amaltas | املتاس |
| Sinhalese | Ehela | ඇහැල |
| Thai | Ratchaphruek | ราชพฤกษ์ |
| English | Golden Shower Tree | — |
The golden shower tree is a medium-sized tree, growing to 10–20 m (33–66 ft) tall with fast growth. The leaves aredeciduous, 15–60 cm (6–24 in) long, and pinnate with three to eight pairs of leaflets, each leaflet 7–21 cm (3–8 in) long and 4–9 cm (1+1⁄2–3+1⁄2 in) broad.
The flowers are produced in pendulousracemes 20–40 cm (8–16 in) long, each flower4–7 cm (1+5⁄8–2+3⁄4 in) diameter with five yellow petals of equal size and shape. The fruit is alegume, 30–60 cm (12–24 in) long and1.5–2.5 cm (9⁄16–1 in) broad, with a pungent odor and containing several seeds.
The tree has strong and very durable wood, and has been used to construct "Ehela Kanuwa", a site atAdam's Peak, Sri Lanka, which is made ofC. fistula (ahala, ehela, oraehaela, ඇහැල in Sinhala[12]) heartwood. The golden shower tree is not a nitrogen fixer.[13]
Cassia fistula is widely grown as anornamental plant in tropical and subtropical areas. It blooms in late spring/early summer in hot, dry weather. Flowering is profuse, with trees being covered with yellow flowers, many times with almost no visible leaves. It grows well in dry climates. Growth for this tree is best in full sun on well-drained soil; it is relatively drought-tolerant and slightly salt-tolerant. It will tolerate light brief frost, but can get damaged if the cold persists. It can be subject tomildew orleaf spot, especially during the second half of the growing season. The tree blooms better with pronounced differences between summer and winter temperatures.[14]
Various species of bees and butterflies are known to be pollinators ofC. fistula flowers, especiallycarpenter bees (Xylocopa sp.).[15] In 1911,Robert Scott Troup conducted an experiment to determine how the seeds ofC. fistula are dispersed. He found thatgolden jackals feed on the fruits and help in seed dispersal.[16]
It is used inVishu festivals as a traditional trademark in Kerala.
In India, flowers of the golden shower tree are sometimes eaten by people. The leaves have also been used to supplement the diets of cattle, sheep, and goats fed with low-quality forages.[17]
InAyurvedic medicine, the golden shower tree is known asaragvadha, meaning "disease killer". The fruit pulp is considered apurgative,[18][19] andself-medication or any use without medical supervision is strongly advised against in Ayurvedic texts. Though it has been used inherbalism for millennia, little research has been conducted in modern times, although it is an ingredient in some mass-produced herbal laxatives. When used as such, it is known as "cassia pods".[7]
Within developing countries, approximately 80% of populations prefer the usage of traditional medicine to resolve primary medical symptoms.[20] The medicines and drugs derived from plants along with other herbal formulations are considered low risk and have less side effects in comparison to modern medicine by many locals especially within the Asian communities.[21]
In India, a cathartic made from the pulp is sometimes added to tobacco.[22]
Cassia fistula flower extract displayed an anti-aging properties when introduced to the human skin fibroblast and has a variety of cosmetic and nutritional applications. It displays an ability to causehypopigmentation and can be applied as a whitening agent.[23]
Cassia fistula is both thenational tree andnational flower of Thailand – in Thairatchaphruek (Thai:ราชพฤกษ์) and the blossoms are commonly referred to asdok khun (Thai:ดอกคูน).[8] Its yellow flowers symbolizeThai royalty. A 2006–2007 flower festival, theRoyal Flora Ratchaphruek, was named after the tree.Cassia fistula is also featured on a 2003 jointCanadian-Thai design for a 48-cent stamp, part of a series featuringnational emblems.[14]
The Indian laburnum is thestate flower ofKerala. The flowers are of ritual importance in preparation of Kani during theVishu festival of Kerala[24] which falls in the month of April. The tree has been depicted on a 20-rupee stamp.
The tree is frequently cultivated in Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka where the Sinhala name isEhela, ඇහැල.[25]The tree is also the provincial tree of theNorth Central Province of Sri Lanka.
InLaos, its blooming flowers known locally asdok khoun are associated with theLao New Year. People use the flowers as offerings at the temple, and also hang them in their homes for the New Year in belief that the flowers will bring happiness and good luck to the households.[26]
The laburnum is the school tree ofNational Taiwan Normal University, thought to be because of the seed pods' similarity to the whips used by teachers in times past.[27]
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