Photo: Shagil Kannur / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

TreeExotic

Golden Shower Tree

Cassia fistula

خيار شنبر

A fast, semi-deciduous tree that hangs long golden chains of flowers in the heat of late spring and early summer; the long pods litter the ground and the seeds are poisonous.

Mature size6–12 m tall, 6–12 m spreadGrowthFastSunFull sunWaterModerate

Heat: 4 of 5

Salt: 3 of 5

Drought: 3 of 5

Shade: 1 of 5

Ease of care: 4 of 5

Use in a design Get it looked after

Season

Through the Dubai year

How Golden Shower Tree behaves through Dubai's seasons, month by month.

JJan

FFeb

MMar

AApr

MMay

JJun

JJul

AAug

SSep

OOct

NNov

DDec

Avg high °C

24°

26°

29°

34°

38°

40°

42°

40°

36°

31°

27°

Best planting window

Oct – Dec

Jan – Mar

Leaves drop briefly before flowering

Chains of golden-yellow flowers

May – Jul

Long pods mature and hang through winter

Aug – Dec

Structural pruning

Best planting window: Oct–Mar
Plant in the cool season in full sun, with room for a broad crown.
Leaves drop briefly before flowering: Mar–Apr
Missouri Botanical Garden places this in April; leaves return shortly after.
Chains of golden-yellow flowers: May–Jul
Gardeners in Dubai report the heaviest bloom in May and June; University of Florida also reports a second flush in early autumn in Florida.
Long pods mature and hang through winter: Aug–Feb
The pods fall and litter the ground; the seeds are poisonous.
Structural pruning: Dec–Feb
Needed for strong structure; do it while the tree is young and after the pods have fallen.

The golden shower tree has one big moment and a long, quiet remainder. In April the crown thins as leaves drop, and in May and June it hangs gold, flowers coming in chains of 20 to 40 cm through the hottest, driest weeks. As flowers finish, leaves return and long green pods begin to form, turning dark and hanging on through winter. Through the cool months the tree is a plain, broad shape carrying its dark pods, which is the time for structural pruning before the cycle begins again.

Meet the plant

Meet the Golden Shower Tree

Meet the golden shower tree, which saves its best for the hottest weeks of the year. In late spring and early summer, when most of the garden has gone flat and dusty, it hangs pendulous chains of bright yellow flowers, each raceme 20 to 40 cm long, so densely that the branches are sometimes almost leafless beneath them. It is the national flower of Thailand and the state flower of Kerala, and it is easy to see why a plant that blooms in heat is valued in hot countries.

The technicality is the timing. The tree sheds its leaves briefly in spring, then flowers on a nearly bare crown, which is why the colour looks so unobstructed. Once the flowers drop, long cylindrical pods, 30 to 60 cm, develop and hang on, turning from green to nearly black. They persist through winter, and then fall and litter the ground, which is the price of the display.

For a few weeks it is the most dramatic tree in the garden; for the rest of the year it is a solid, broad, shady one.

Cassia fistula, the golden shower tree, is a fast-growing, semi-deciduous tree native to South and Southeast Asia. University of Florida describes it growing 30 to 40 feet (9 to 12 m) tall and as wide, with slightly drooping branches and large pinnate leaves whose leaflets reach up to eight inches. It is planted across Dubai as a specimen and shade tree for the very showy late-spring bloom that few other trees offer in the heat.

Missouri Botanical Garden notes that leaves usually drop in April as a prelude to flowering, which runs from May to early July, with pendulous racemes 8 to 18 inches long of five-petalled yellow flowers. University of Florida reports a second flush in early autumn in Florida, and gardeners in Dubai report the heaviest bloom in May and June. The flowers are followed by woody pods about two feet long that stay on the tree through winter, a feature that some find handsome and others find messy.

It adapts to clay, sand, loam, and acidic or alkaline soil, and University of Florida rates it moderately drought and salt tolerant. It is free of serious pests and diseases, with caterpillars occasionally, and its roots are not reported as a problem. Pruning is needed in youth for strong structure. The practical points are the litter from the pods and leaves, and the fact that the seeds are poisonous, so it is best sited where children will not play beneath it and where the pods can be swept up easily.

Design

Where to use it

Showpiece specimenShade treeSeasonal focal point

Place a golden shower tree where its bloom can be seen from the house and terrace in late spring, ideally against a plain wall or open sky so the chains of gold are not lost against busy planting. Give it a broad area of free ground, since the canopy spreads as wide as it is tall, and keep paving, pools and play areas out from under it, because the long pods and leaves fall and the seeds are poisonous. A lawn edge or the corner of a larger garden suits it better than a small courtyard.

Royal Poinciana

Royal poinciana's flame-red canopy flowers in the same late spring and early summer window, so gold and red can be planted as a deliberate pair.

Pink Trumpet Tree

Pink trumpet tree blooms in March and April, ahead of the golden shower tree in May and June, so the two give a relay of colour.

Plumbago

Plumbago's pale blue underneath the golden canopy gives the plant a cool, complementary partner at ground level.

Care guide

How to grow it in Dubai

Watering: Summer: Moderate: University of Florida rates it moderately drought tolerant, but a deep, regular watering through the heat keeps growth and the bloom strong.
Winter: Reduce frequency in the cool months, when growth slows and the crown is thin.
Establishment: Water deeply and regularly for the first two years so the root system establishes.
Soil: Well-drained soil; University of Florida lists tolerance of clay, sand, loam, acidic and alkaline conditions. Add organic matter to sandy Dubai soil at planting.
Feeding: A balanced feed in spring after flowering supports new leaf and healthy growth.
Pruning: Prune when young for strong structure, in the cool season after the pods have fallen. University of Florida notes pruning is needed for strong structure, and that the branches are resistant to breakage once the framework is set.
Planting: Plant October to March in full sun, at least 6 m from buildings and pools, and away from paths, play areas and parking, where pods and leaves will fall.
Pests: Generally trouble-freeCaterpillars occasionallyMildew, leaf spot and root rot in poor conditions

Avoid these

Common mistakes

Planting it over a pool, a play area or parking. The long pods and leaves fall and litter whatever lies beneath, and the seeds are poisonous.
Planting it too close to a wall or house. It grows to 9 to 12 m tall and as wide, and its canopy needs real room.
Skipping structural pruning while it is young. University of Florida notes pruning is needed for a strong structure, and the work is far easier on a young tree.
Panicking when the crown thins in spring. Leaf drop in March to April is normal and brief, and is followed by flowers and new leaves.
Eating or giving children the pods or seeds. The seeds are poisonous and the pulp is a purgative.

Extra notes

Good to know

It is the national flower of Thailand and the state flower of Kerala in India, where the flowers feature in the Vishu festival.
The pods are 30 to 60 cm long, contain sticky pulp and 40 to 100 hard seeds, and persist on the tree through the following winter, according to the National Tropical Botanical Garden and University of Florida.
University of Florida describes the tree as zone 10B to 11, frost-tender, which is not a concern in Dubai.
University of Florida's non-native plant assessment finds golden shower not a problem species in Florida at this time.

Toxicity: The seeds are poisonous, according to University of Florida. The sticky pulp inside the pods has a long traditional use as a laxative, but it is a purgative, and the pods have a pungent smell; neither belongs in children's hands.

Pros

Spectacular chains of golden-yellow flowers in the heat of late spring and early summer
Fast growing, with a broad crown that gives useful shade
Tolerates clay, sand, loam and alkaline soil; moderately drought and salt tolerant
Roots are not reported as a problem, and branches resist breakage
Free of serious pests and diseases

Cons

Long, dark pods hang for months and litter the ground when they fall
Seeds are poisonous; keep play areas away from the canopy
Briefly leafless in spring, and plain green for most of the year
Needs early structural pruning for a strong framework
Large: needs 6 to 12 m of clear space

FAQ

Common questions

When does the golden shower tree flower in Dubai?

Mainly late spring and early summer. Missouri Botanical Garden places leaf drop in April and flowering from May to early July, and gardeners in Dubai report the heaviest bloom in May and June. University of Florida reports a second, lighter flush in early autumn in Florida.

Are golden shower seeds poisonous?

Yes. University of Florida states that the seeds inside the pods are poisonous. The sticky pulp has a traditional use as a laxative, but it is a purgative and the pods have a pungent smell. Keep children and pets away from fallen pods.

Why did my golden shower tree lose its leaves?

Most likely it is its normal cycle. University of Florida describes the leaves dropping for a short period before flowering and being quickly replaced, and Missouri Botanical Garden places this in April.

How big does it get?

About 9 to 12 m tall and as wide in University of Florida's description, fast growing and with a broad crown. Allow plenty of room, and keep it away from walls, pools and paving.

Does the golden shower tree have damaging roots?

University of Florida reports that its roots are not a problem. As with any large tree, plant it a sensible distance from a wall or pool, which also leaves room for its crown.

Not sure how it suits your garden?

Ask about Golden Shower Tree on WhatsApp