CASSIA X NEALIAE (Cassia Rainbow Shower)

Cassia Rainbow Shower (Cassia x nealiae) is the flowering shade tree that gives you three colours at once. Long pendulous racemes open in blended pink, apricot and yellow through the warm months, hanging across a broad canopy that reaches around 9m tall and 8m wide. It is a fast grower, and this is an ex ground specimen, so the trunk and canopy are already built rather than something you wait a decade for. In a tropical or subtropical garden, few trees do more.

Why you'll love it

• Three tones in one flower spike. A hybrid of Cassia fistula and Cassia javanica, so each raceme carries pink, apricot and yellow together.
• Real shade, quickly. The canopy spreads to about 8m and it grows fast, so a seating area or driveway gets useful cover in a few seasons.
• Established from day one. Ex ground stock is field grown for years, then lifted with a compact fibrous root ball.
• Feeds pollinators. Bees and butterflies work the flowers heavily through the flowering period.
• Handles the heat. Heat tolerant, humidity tolerant and drought tolerant once established.

Where it works best

Shade over a gathering space. Set it 5m or more from the house and let it spread over a lawn, courtyard or dining area. The canopy is high enough to walk and sit beneath.

Feature planting. A single specimen in open lawn is the strongest way to use it, so the flowering canopy reads from a distance.

Driveways and avenues. Space a run of trees 8m to 10m apart so the canopies meet without crowding, and keep them 4m back from paving and services.

Growing Cassia Rainbow Shower in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun for the heaviest flowering. This is a tropical and subtropical tree and it is frost tender, so north Queensland, the Northern Territory, northern New South Wales and warmer parts of northern Western Australia are where it belongs. Cool temperate, tableland and frost prone gardens will not carry it through winter.

Soil. Free draining loam or sandy loam is ideal. It is not fussy about fertility but will not accept waterlogging. On heavy ground, mound the planting position.

Water and feed. Water in thoroughly at planting, then deeply once a week for the first month and fortnightly for the next six weeks. After the first year it copes with dry spells.

Pruning. Prune after flowering, not before, or you remove the wood that carries the next display. Formative pruning in the early years to build a clear trunk pays off for the life of the tree.

What to expect when it arrives

This is a single advanced ex ground tree, not a container plant. It has been grown in open ground, root pruned ahead of lifting, then set into a wire basket with hessian lining. Both are planted with the tree and break down in the soil, so the root ball stays intact.

A tree of this size and weight is freighted at cost, and needs machinery plus clear site access. We quote transport and confirm access before dispatch. It is delivered Australia wide,. Autumn planting is preferred where you have the choice. Expect a settling season with modest growth, then the first real flowering display. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the ex ground tree range
• Compare fast growing shade trees
• Shop advanced trees for instant scale
• Using trees to shade paths and walkways

Common questions

When does it flower?

Through the warm months, with the main display in late spring and summer, and a longer season closer to the tropics. Flowering is heaviest in full sun.

How far from the house should I plant it?

At least 5m, and further if you can. The canopy spreads to about 8m across, so a tree planted close to a wall will be pushing at the eaves within a few years.

Is it messy?

It drops spent flowers during the display and pods later, so it is not the right tree over a pool or a swept entry. Over lawn the litter breaks down quickly.