“In the ground 1.5 years, morning sun/afternoon shade.”
Background
Cassia x nealiae is a sterile hybrid of the golden shower tree (Cassia fistula) and the pink-and-white shower (C. javanica), first hand-pollinated by territorial forester David Haughs in Hawaii around 1916-1918. It was named for Hawaiian botanist Marie C. Neal; the multicolored cultivar 'Wilhelmina Tenney' was declared the official tree of the City and County of Honolulu in 1965. Other named forms include 'Lunalilo Yellow' and 'Queen's Hospital White'. Because it is sterile, it sets no messy seed pods.
Distinguishing traits
Medium to large deciduous tree, 25-40 ft, with a wide spreading crown; long pendulous racemes of variably colored blooms — yellow, pink, orange, red, and white, often on the same tree. Briefly deciduous before flowering, which makes the display more dramatic.
Desert care — zone 9b
- Chill hours
- n/a — ornamental
- Cold hardiness
- USDA 9b-11; frost-tender. Brief freezes defoliate; hard freezes damage wood. Matt's morning sun/afternoon shade siting is a good 9b placement.
- Heat tolerance
- Loves heat; blooms best in full sun and hot, dry conditions.
- Water
- Moderate; fairly drought tolerant once established. Water deeply, then let dry.
- Soil
- Tolerant of many soils if well-drained.
- Sun exposure
- Full sun to partial sun.
Where to buy
- TreeWorld Wholesale (Homestead, FL)
- Gardino Nursery (Loxahatchee Groves, FL)