Thai Name – Ratchaphruek (ราชพฤกษ์), Khuen (คูน)      
Scientific Name – Cassia fistula      
Family Name – Fabaceae (Leguminosae)      
Flowering Season – March-May      
Native to Thailand – Yes      
Typical Height – 8-12 meters      

The golden shower tree is one of the most popular decorative trees in Thailand due to its massive hanging flower clusters that grow 30-50cm long and up to 7cm wide. At peak bloom you can barely see any green leaves. From a distances it resembles the silver trumpet tree. It was chosen the national flower of Thailand in 2001 in part because the yellow can represent both Buddhism and King Rama IX. It is also the provincial flower of Khon Kaen and Nakhon Si Thammarat. Many places, notably Khon Kaen, plant them along roads which become short-term tourist attractions each year. In Isan during Songkran, the Thai New Year, they are often used to decorate temples and splash water on Buddhas. Their thin dark-brown fruit grows to 40-60cm in length, and just about every Thai child has used them to play sword fighter. The fruit’s pulp can be used as a laxative, though it isn’t used for this very often any more.