Forest & Kim Starr
Family
Fabaceae
Botanical Name
CASSIA javanica
Plant Common Name
Appleblossom Cassia, Javanese Cassia, Pink and White Shower Tree
General Description
With a spreading, irregular, tiered habit, the appleblossom cassia is covered with variably pink flowers in the warmest months of the tropical dry season. This Indonesian tree is very briefly deciduous just prior to or during the flowering display in springtime. The trunk's bark is smooth and gray, but occasional spines or woody spurs line the trunk or lower parts of branches.
Newly emerging leaves are downy, but turn matte green with age. Each leaf is compound, comprising 5 to nearly 30 oval leaflets. The foliage flops and dangles in the breeze, making the appleblossom cassia look frothy and elegant. The flowers occur anywhere along the sunlit branches. Blossoms most heavily occur in the spring or summer months, when temperatures are warm and the brunt of the rainy season hasn't started. The five-petaled flowers are deeper rosy pink when they first open but fade to palest pink, creating a variegated color palette in the clusters. After insect pollination, only a few flowers produce long, dangling, brownish-black seed pods that hang for many months.
Grow appleblossom cassia in full to partial sun for the best flower displays. Moderately fertile soil will suffice, but it should be moist and well-drained. The tree is slightly tolerant of saltspray and drought. A spectacular specimen flowering tree that doubles as a park shade tree, ample space is needed to accommodate the long, arching, spreading limbs. The precise timing of flowering varies among trees, as some regularly bloom in spring while others may not bloom until early summer. Some branches may burst into flower at odd times while the bulk of the tree is just leafy green.
Growing Conditions
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Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
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Soil Drainage
Well Drained
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Soil type
Loam, Sand
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Tolerances
Drought, Salt
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Growth Rate
Fast
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Water Requirements
Average Water
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Habit
Spreading
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Seasonal Interest
Spring, Summer
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Showy
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Flower Color
Pink, Light Pink
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Fruit Color
Chocolate, Black
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Green, Light Green
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Green
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Green
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Foliage Color (Winter)
Green
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Bark Color
Gray
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Fragrant Flowers
Yes
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Fragrant Fruit
No
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Fragrant Foliage
Yes
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
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Flower Petal Number
Single
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Repeat Bloomer
No
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Showy Fruit
Yes
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Edible Fruit
No
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Showy Foliage
Yes
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Foliage Texture
Fine
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Foliage Sheen
Matte
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Evergreen
Semi-Evergreen
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Showy Bark
No
