Tree saga: Cassia fistula, The Golden Shower Tree (Amaltas tree)

Amaltas tree is among the most popular Cassia within India. This tree with a leguminous root is native to the Indian subcontinent. Amaltas Tree is known by various common names. Some of the most popular are Golden Shower, Pudding Pipe as well as Indian Laburnum. In India It is recognized for its Hindi designation “Amaltas. Other vernacular names for Cassia fistula are also well-known.
There’s a reference to Amaltas tree in both old Indian epics Ramayana as well as Mahabharata.

About Amaltas tree:

• Habits: A medium-sized tree with a height of up to 10 metres tall, is stunning it is in full bloom.
• Foliage The leaves are huge and are pinnately compound. The leaves that are young, which are both red and coppery, are in pendulous folds until they are fully mature.
• Flowers: In the summer heat of temperatures (April-May) it is the most noticeable thanks to its pendulous, golden yellow, lightly scented flowers. The trees are not in bloom until the beginning of flowering, and at the close of the blooming period; however, leaf buds begin appearing.
• Producing fruit: After flowering is finished, the large (30-45 centimeter) cylindrical pods are visible, they turn black as they mature.
• The rate of growth is The tree has slow development and can be a decade before it flowers. In the case of favorable climate conditions it can flower in five years.

Spread from Amaltas tree:

Amaltas Tree is able to reproduce by seed. But the rate of seeds germination is not high.
The seeds of Amalta are extremely hard It is recommended to boil the seeds in water for 5 minutes prior to sowing. Sowing seeds is carried out during the monsoon time. The seedlings are grown in a polybag in the beginning in the beginning, it is able to be put directly in the ground at the beginning of the next monsoon season.

Diseases and pests:

Sometimes, caterpillars eat leaves making the tree leafless. Half eaten foliage ruin the elegance of this beautiful tree. Caterpillars are prevented from spreading insecticides .

The use from Amaltas tree for ornamental tree for flowers:

• Based on the fundamentals of landscaping, the habit is the main characteristic of Cassia fistula is oval making it ideal to be used as a frame screen result.
• Cassia fistula is among the finest ornamental trees that is suitable for roads in towns.
• Amaltas can be used to be used as the front row of the border plant in the campuses of educational institutes such as colleges, schools or the university.
• Cassia fistula strongly recommends to be planted near railway lines, stations and bus terminals, airports and more.
• Additionally, the tree can be planted in landscapes on river banks as well as canals.
• Amaltas (Golden yellow) may be altered in the pathways with Gulmohar (Orange-scarlet) as well as Jacaranda (Blue-mauve) in blooming seasons of these trees coincide to one another.

Amaltas tree wood:

It will grow into a 30- 14 feet tall tree that has an elongated trunk that is made up of reddish-colored wood. The wood is strong and heavy. It is utilized for cabinet as well as inlay and cabinet work. It is also used to create agricultural tools and handles.

Uses for medicinal purposes of Amaltas:

Many medicinal applications for various medicinal uses of the Amaltas tree are discussed in Ayurveda. The sweet, blackish-colored pulp of the matured pod is employed to treat constipation.

Hybrids are a type of Cassia fistula

• Cassia alpurens comes with cream flowers that look like Cassia fistula
• Cassia atkinsiana is a hybrid intermediate between Cassia fistula as well as Cassia nodosa. The color of the flower is mixed. This flower blooms during the rainy season.
• Rainbow Shower Tree is a mix of Amaltas (Cassia fistula) as well as Java cassia (Cassia Javanica). This is an amazing tree featuring flower clusters in diverse colours.

Fun fact:

In the forest of India the mature pods that are ripe from Cassia fistula can be a delight for wild animals in the summertime. Sloth Bears, Monkeys, Jackals and wild Boars love these black berries and aid in the spread of seeds.