Bunches of Golden Shower Flowers
The Golden shower or “Ahala” in Sinhalese is a flowering plant of Cassia genus in Fabaceae family. It is grows as a mid size tree with slow growth rate, tall about 10 to 20 m and extensively grown in tropical and subtropical areas in Sri Lanka. It is a type of deciduous plant and loss their leaves during April to July annually with blooming of the large amount of flowers. (Ahala is the name of month for July in Sinhalese) The Golden shower is native to Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and some other south Asian countries.
Golden Shower Flower
Flowers: Beautiful yellow flowers main blooming in widely in April to July and small amount of flowers bloom in November to December without loss their leaves. Flowers are bloom in pendulous raceme and blooms from top to the bottom. Each bunch has 30, 50 flowers arrange in type Whorled to the peduncle. The 30-60 cm long peduncle arranges in alternately to stem. Pendulous racemes (flower bunches) can be produce from main stem and branches that mean a lot of flowers can be bloom on the tree.
Sapling from root of Golden Shower
Leaves: Configuration of the leaves is Even Pinnate, which leaflets in rows and two leaflets at the end. One leaflet is similar to shape of Lanceolate and about 5 to 10 cm long with Entire margin that edge of the leaflet is smooth throughout. The compound leaves or Pinnaes are arranged on the stem in alternately and consist of 12 leaflets about 30 cm long. Venation of the leaf blade is Pinnate. Sub veins arranged oppositely to the main Veins seem good example to the “Pinnate’ that types of leaf Venation. Leaves are green. Back side of the leaves and rounded petiole are lighter than front
Uses: Ahala is an important herb in Ayurvedic medicine in Sri Lanka. Commonly, Bark and leaves are used for the medicine.
It also grows as an ornamental plant on home gardens and widely used on parks and streets side ways. Easy way to propagate the “Ahala“ or “Golden Shower is taking a sapling from a root.
Bark of the Golden Shower
Tree: Ahala tree has a strong wood that can be used for any purpose in timber industry.
