Amaltas Tree (Cassia fistula): How to Grow and Care for It in Jaipur
Cassia fistula
Amaltas, the golden shower tree, flowers through Jaipur's hottest weeks, copes with drought once established and is not browsed by goats. Learn when to plant it, how to protect young plants from frost, its traditional uses, and why the pod pulp should not be eaten.
Benefits
Benefits of Amaltas
Colour in the hottest weeks
In north India the tree flowers from about mid-May to mid-June, sometimes later. In full bloom it can look like it is all flowers and no leaves, which is why it is planted so widely as an ornamental.
Bees, butterflies and wildlife
Bees collect pollen from the flowers and nectar from small glands at the base of the leaf stalks. The leaves feed caterpillars of the common emigrant butterfly, and monkeys, birds and jackals eat the sweet pulp of the pods, spreading the seeds.
Light shade, little water
The crown is open, so the shade is dappled rather than dense: good for a courtyard, a park edge or a lane. Once the tree has come through two or three summers, it needs little watering.
Wood and bark
The reddish wood is hard, heavy and durable, and has been used for posts, farm tools and wheels; the bark was used for tanning. GreenEye's gift trees are planted to stand, not to be cut.
- Ornamental: One of India's showiest flowering trees: hanging yellow bunches 30-60 cm long, from about mid-May to mid-June in north India, often when the tree has few leaves.
- Pollinators: Bees collect pollen from the flowers and nectar from small glands at the base of the leaf stalks.
- Biodiversity: Larval food plant of the common emigrant butterfly; monkeys, birds and jackals eat the sweet pod pulp and spread the seeds.
- Shade and cooling: An open, spreading crown gives light, dappled shade, suited to courtyards, park edges and lanes.
- Water conservation: Drought hardy; needs little watering once it has come through its first two or three summers.
- Medicinal: Known in Ayurveda as Aragvadha and also used in Unani and folk medicine; the pod pulp is a traditional laxative. Traditional use only, not medical advice. Do not self-medicate.
- Timber: Reddish wood that is hard, heavy (about 800 kg/m3) and durable, traditionally used for posts, farm tools and wheels. GreenEye gift trees are not planted for felling.
- Cultural: Kanikonna is the state flower of Kerala, and its flowers are part of the Vishu Kani arranged for the Malayalam new year in April.
- Other: The bark has been used for tanning leather.
This article was prepared with AI assistance. Please check important details against the sources shown in each section.
Plant a tree you can track
Plant a tree on GreenEye land and track it as it grows.
Share this article