Fauna
Plant · GBIF taxon 5357108

Golden Shower Tree

Cassia fistula

Also known as Indian Laburnum

The Golden Shower Tree is a medium-sized deciduous tree recognized by long, hanging chains of bright yellow flowers. Its pinnate leaves carry several pairs of broad leaflets, and bloom can be especially dense on partly bare branches.

Flowering TreeHanging BloomsTropical Ornamental
Golden Shower Tree reference1 / 7
Licensed reference(c) Tony van Kampen, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Tony van Kampen · cc-by
—observations
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • Photosynthetic; roots absorb water and mineral nutrients from the soil
Predators
  • Caterpillars
  • Beetles
  • Browsing mammals
ThreatsLocal trees may be affected by drought, storm damage, root disturbance, and insect pests
HabitatsSeasonally dry tropical forest, open woodland, roadsides, gardens, and urban plantings
Life spanA perennial tree capable of living for many decades
Classification
  1. OrderFabales
  2. FamilyFabaceae
  3. GenusCassia
  4. SpeciesCassia fistula
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskHigh
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is high
Unsupervised ingestion of tree material can cause marked gastrointestinal effects and should be avoided.
Why it is dangerous
Plant material has strong laxative constituents and may cause abdominal pain, vomiting, or dangerous fluid loss when misused.
How to recognize a risky encounter
Look for showy pendant yellow flower clusters and compound leaves with several pairs of broad leaflets.
What to do
Do not ingest wild-collected material or prepare home remedies; supervise children around fallen plant parts.
Responsible observation
  • Look: Scan for long yellow flower chains hanging below the canopy.
  • Identify: Check pinnate leaves with paired oval leaflets.
  • Leave: Do not taste or collect plant material for remedies.
Related species

Related species have not been added yet.

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