Its correct name is Cassia fistula and it is sometimes known as the Golden Shower tree. It is an attractive tropical tree for a reasonable sized area. I have a large one in my garden that would be around 10 metres in height with a similar spread. In the warmer months it gets covered in yellow hanging flower racemes that drop and make a mess but the mess is worth putting up with. It is very fast growing and every year I have to hack mine back from the powerlines. Hope this helps.

Andrew.

Yes thank you Andrew, my house is on an acre so I have heaps of room for the tree what would be the spread of the tree, also I can bet your life it dosen't like frosts, I always pick trees that don't like frosts.

Regards Karn

Common names can be a bit of a trap. They can also be area specific - what you call a Golden Rain Tree can be a completely different plant somewhere else.

Koelreuteria paniculata is also known as the Golden Rain Tree - deciduous, attractive leaves indented a bit like English oak leaves, bright yellow flowers and large lantern shaped seed pods. Leaves turn a lovely pink in autumn.

There is also a Golden Chain tree which is a Laburnum. A friend of mine has both of these and constantly confuses them.

I suggest you do a Google for both Koelreuteria paniculata and Cassia fistula (which is also known as Golden Shower Tree), adding "picture" to the search line and compare photos with a leaf from your little tree.

Personally, I wouldn't care if it was Rain or Shower, as long as something wet fell from the sky. I'm facing yet another year of drought and more losses in the garden.

You know I think it could ba a Golden Chain Tree, I had a look at the printing on the side of the tube and it is a bit hard to read, and looking at it closley it could spell Laburnum, I bet it isn't frost tollerant lol here we go again, will have to stick a drum over it lol

Regards
Karn

Karn so pleased to hear that you think it may be a Golden Chain tree, as the Golden Rain tree produces lots of seed pods and in the warmer climates they are self seeding and very Invasive. I would not be surprised if they were classed as a invironmental weed in parts of Australia.

You say you get frosts so the Golden Chain (Laburnum vossi) may be ideal for you, but I dont know if it will like our summer heat as I grew it in Melbourne, I liked it so much that when I moved to Townsville and seen one almost the same I bought some they were Golden showers (Cassia fistula) they both have the pendulous bunches of wisteria like flowers in the spring, but this one does not like frost it more suited to Qld weather.

I have two trees here in Brisbane planted from the seeds I bought with me from Townsville they are only about 60cms tall at present and bare as they loose there leaves before flowering, and as yet have not flowered.

Next time you buy any plants do try and get the Botanical Name as like Wombat said the Common names can be a bit of a trap.

MM.

Thank you for the info MM, I will do what you said, get the Botanical Name, I can see how confusing it can be, you know I am really captivated by these tube trees, someone gave me a Grevillea Robusta last year only about 10 inches high and now it is 6 feet, don't they take off. It does seem that I do have the Golden Chain tree, looking very hard at the side of the tube the Botanical name is there, may be I can find someway to protect it through the summer months from the heat maybe with some hessian for shade, oh I planted a liquid amber as well at the same time only about 4 inches high, I just love them, they are so beautiful in autumn.

Karn

Yes Grevillea Robusta (Silky Oak) a huge tree they can grow to 30mts (100ft)I have one on my fence line (Cyclone wire fence) planted by neighbour 20 years ago, he wished he hadn't now as it is pushing up the fence we are both on 3/4 acre blocks but why did he plant it there.

It self seeds everywhere, we both are forever pulling out seedlings, we built our house here just on four years ago and neighbour on oposite side planted three Grevillea Robusta in one hole four foot from the other boundry fence about two years ago, they are not as big as yours but I dread those seeds blowing on to my land in years to come.

Now the Liquidamber that is a beautiful tree as you say. I planted my first one in April of this year, and the Autumn colours were fantastic mostly reds it has not grown any taller as yet, and is only about 70cm tall they grow well in this area as I have seen so many.

Have you seen a Illawarra or Australian Flame tree (Brachychiton acerifolium ) they are spectular too, a conical shaped tree that is a mass of red flowers in the Summer after dropping its leaves, but they take a few years to flower.

Good luck with your tree planting Karn, you will have a wonderful garden in years to come -------- MM.

The Golden Chain (Laburnum vossi)is used as a street tree where I live and manages to survive - you know councils, plant and forget. On the Southern Tablelands we get extremely cold winters and very hot summers (although quite short). I don't think your Golden Chain will mind summer too much. But give it some mulch to keep the moisture in the soil, particularly if it's little. See how it goes.

If you have the room, you might consider a Laburnum Walk. There are some piccies at the site below. This one is grown over what looks like a metal frame but the original idea was to pleach them - basically getting branches from two or more trees of the same variety to grow together. If a walk seems a little OTT, two trees over a path or creating an arbour would be a pretty picture.

We are pretty lucky here. With a lousy climate and miserable soil, not much reseeds itself. There are a few mature Koelreuteria paniculatas here (mine is a seedling from one) and they do grow into lovely, round headed trees.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.sitwell.co.uk/docs/Laburnum09.htm

Im glad to have seen a reference explaining how Koelreuteria paniculata can become invasive because it certainly can and I suggest that it not be planted at all in areas between Cooktown and Sydney.
We have enough weeds and all to many environmental ones.
Kris

Well actually I do have a Illawarra Flame tree (Brachychiton acerifolium) how bout that lol, funny thing about that though, is that was closer to the frost than any other tree, I sprayed it of course and it survived beautifully, getting all it's new leaves, I can't wait for the tube man to come back to the markets and get more, especially Liquid Ambers, sounds like you are going to do battle with all those Grevilla Robustas MM I don't envy you.
I do like the sound of that Wombat, two trees creating an arbour, I have seen that done with Jacaranda's a whole avenue of them just arching the road. I will look out for Koelreuteria paniculatas do they flower at all Wombat and do they lose their leaves.

Karn

Koelreuteria paniculatas have upright trusses of bright yellow flowers, followed by pinkish toned, lantern shaped, seed pods, containing bead like black seeds. The leaves turn pink before they fall in autumn.

BUT - see Wooroonooran's posting above re invasive nature of them in some areas (luckily not mine). Even the dreaded lantana succumbs to our climate.

Re "pleaching" - this is a technique where branches from two or more trees are actually grafted together. For the extreme sports version of this have at look at this site.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.arborsmith.com/treecircus.html

Thank you for information Wombat, it is very interesting.

karn

Nice to see a busy post on the Tree forum. I just had to stop on the way back from the airport to look at an unknown tree; it was shedding red rounded leaves. I left a leaf and directions with a council gardener and hopefully will get an ID when I call back later.

Will be looking at that treecircus site: crikey!
Rose

Rose, there is a recent photo of the Hickory Tower at this site

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.bonfantegardens.com/trees/trees.html

Fantastic site Wombat, wish I knew these things years ago I would have had a go at it, too old now.

MM.

Mistymorn, know exactly how you feel. I'm wondering if I can develop a novel idea for annuals. I've got plenty of onion weed coming up.

At least with the internet, we can look at all these wonderful plants, places, etc. without putting too much strain on the old bod (or the pension replenished purse).