Golden and Rainbow Shower Trees

[ruskinPalms]

I think when spring comes, I am going to replace a small oak with a different tree. I am considering Delonix regia or possibly Cassia fistula or Rainbow Shower tree. Can Cassia fistula grow in FL zone 9B? Does anyone have info regarding Frost/Freeze tolerance? Ant experiences and pictures? I saw the rainbow shower trees while in HI this year and they were beautiful.

Thanks

[Alicehunter2000]

Ruskin- take a look at this thread.

Topic: Royal Poinciana (Delonix Regia), Range in non- tropical climates

David

[Eric in Orlando]

The rainbow or pink Cassias are slightly more tender than Delonix, C. fistula is hardier. It can be tender when young but gets hardier as it matures. We have a C. fistula that has been outside for about 12 years and has survived 27F no problem. It flowers in late spring/early summer. Even better than C. fistula is C. leptophylla, the Gold Medallion Tree. It is hardy into the low/mid 20sF and flowers in early summer. It is covered in bright gold flowers. The tree is behaved and only gets 20-25 ft tall. Also, look for C. bakeriana. It is a pink species from Thailand that is supposed to have some cold hardiness as about all the other pink Cassias are tender.

We got a hybrid to try this summer called 'White Queen' that is supposed to be a white flowering hybrid.

[FossilNypa]

Hi,

According to "Tropicals" book from Gordon Courtright:

Cassia fistula - Zone 10

Cassia javanica - Zone 10

Cassia javanica X C. fistula - Zone 10

[spockvr6]

(Eric in Orlando @ Dec. 08 2006,17:58)

QUOTE

The rainbow or pink Cassias are slightly more tender than Delonix,

Eric-

What is your opinion of the absolute cold hardiness of Delonix?

[Walt]

I would definitely try Cassia fistula. I've been wanting to try one but haven't run across any yet in local nurseries.

Local Cassia fistula:

waltcat100

[FossilNypa]

I have 2 little trees on pots. They are easy to germinate.

[SubTropicRay]

Walt,

I love C. fistula but it is a messy tree.  As Luis mentioned, seeds are very easy to germinate.  The seeds pods are a bit messy though.

Ray

[Eric in Orlando]

I would guess a mature Delonix is root hardy in the low to mid 20sF but not on a regular basis. This is after observing what happened to some specimens after the 12/89 freeze. It dropped to 20F for 2 nights back then here in Orlando. Most around here were killed outright but there were a few specimens that survived but were killed back to the roots and were slow to grow back in spring.

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

I have found the large Cassias to be somewhat picky when it comes to soil pH.  The lower the better.  C. fistula in particular yellows out in high pH.

Jerry

[Fouquieria]

I've been trying a few Cassias out by starting from seed.

Here is a pic of a Cassia fistula that I took today.  It is presently growing in a 20-gallon pot and has done fine outside here in San Diego.  It will lose it's leaves in the Spring but releaf qucikly.

I also have a Cassia moschata that I started from seed two years ago.  It is presently in a 10-gallon pot.  It spent last winter out fine.  It also loses its leaves in the winter and then leafs out in Spring.

I have some much smaller seedlings of C. nodosa, C. javanica, and C. grandis.  They are in 1-2 gallon pots and are outside on a table but under a solid overhand so they don't get the winter rains.  This will be the first winter outside for them, so I don't know how they will do.  So far they look ok however.

The Rainbow Shower tree is some kind of a Cassia cross that they call C. x neallii.  I've read that they are rather tender, but other than that I don't know much about them.

-Ron-

CASSIA FISTULA

[ron@springhammock]

(Walt @ Dec. 18 2006,21:55)

QUOTE

I would definitely try Cassia fistula. I've been wanting to try one but haven't run across any yet in local nurseries.

Local Cassia fistula:

http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1076585757042496162ZwxSJs'>

http://community.webshots.com/user....tcat100'>

Walt;  Check out your local Home Depot if they're selling plants from Morningstar.  If they don't have it, you could probably request them them to special order you one,  I think they're calling it "Golden Shower Cassia".

[Walt]

Ray: one messy tree is okay. The trade-off is worth it to me for some color.

Ron: Thanks for the advice. I've special ordered from HD before, and yes, Morningstar is one of their vendors. But lately, HD has let me down. I got a verbal from them last spring, that they would order me the palms I wanted (15 gallon veitchias et al). They never got them. Then, two weeks ago, I asked them if they could order me five 50# bags of Lesco 0-0-62. I told them my palms need far more K (potassium).  The Lesco plant is in Sebring, same as HD. The garden manager took my phone number and said she would call me the next day about the status. I never heard from her. My local Lowes isn't any better. Be that as it may, I will get my C. fistula soon.

[SunnyFl]

There's a very large old C. fistula just down the road from me.  It is absolutely gorgeous.  And Rick Nale, who sometimes posts on the CFPACS board, has a beauty, which grows by a large bougainvillea - the combination, when they're flowering, would take your breath away.

I have 3 small C. bicapsularis - these stay much smaller than fistula and aren't quite as messy.   One thing about these plants, though, is wind-resistance.  I don't think they're very strong, so care needs to be taken where they're planted.  just my op.

[SubTropicRay]

Hi Sunny,

Rick's tree is where my seeds came from.   There are also many planted in yards along 22nd Ave N.

Ray