Paluma Cassia / Golden Shower
Origin of name
Family: CAESALPINIACEAE
- Cassia derived from greek “kassia”
Occurrence
Grows in monsoon forest, vine forest, rain forest, open forest and woodlands from Mt. Fox to the Whitsundays.
Prefers fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun/part shade. Flowers best in full sun. Good specimen/shade tree for smaller areas.
Appearance
Shrub/tree (4-8m) with fern-like leaves that can fall in winter. Bark is shiny grey, with loose, papery, red flakes. Pendulous bunches of yellow flowers (Nov-Feb) lead to long, brown, almost cylindrical pods without corrugations. New leaves are often purple on the undersides.
Attractive foliage and very decorative floral display. Flowers attract bees, butterflies. Birds eat seeds. Larval food plant of Lemon Migrant butterfly. Listed as ‘Rare’ under the Qld Nature Conservation Act 1992.
