Golden shower tree, cassia fistula, Shonalu

Shonalu or Golden shower tree (cassia fistula, family: fabaceae) is a medium-sized deciduous tree attaining a height of 8-10 m. This fast growing tree is native to South and Southeast Asia. 

Common names: Shonail, Shonalu, Bandor-lathi, Flame of the forest, Golden shower tree.

In Bangladesh, the tree is very renowned for its fabulous golden flowers.

The gum, seeds and bark of cassia fistula are used in skin diseases and snake poison. Fruit is effective in constipation. It has strong and very durable wood.

Cassia fistula is the national flower of Thailand.

Monkeys used to play with the sticky fruits of cassia fistula and for this reason the local people of Bangladesh called it Bandor-lathi (Monkey stick).

The golden shower tree is the state flower of Kerala. The flowers are of ritual importance in the Vishu festival of Kerala, and the tree was depicted on a 20-rupee stamp. The golden rain tree is the national flower of Thailand; its yellow flowers symbolize Thai royalty. A 2006–2007 flower festival,

The golden shower tree is a medium-sized tree, growing to 10–20 m (33–66 ft) tall with fast growth. The leaves are deciduous, 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 (1.6–3.5 in) broad. The flowers are produced in pendulous racemes 20–40 cm (8–16 in) long, each flower 4–7 cm (1.6–2.8 in) diameter with five yellow petals of equal size and shape. The fruit is a legume, 30–60 cm (12–24 in) long and 1.5–2.5 cm (0.6–1.0 in) broad, with a pungent odor and containing several seeds.