Rain tree

The rain tree grows between 20 and 30 metres tall. It is a fast-growing tree that has a very large, umbrella-shaped crown that grows to an average width of 25 metres. Its bark turns dark grey or brownish grey over time.

It has compound, bipinnate leaves with 3 to 5 pairs of leaflets that can grow up to 30 centimetres in length. Each leaflet is divided into 2 rows of 3 to 6 pairs of tiny leaves that grow to a maximum length of 35 millimetres. The leaf’s surface is hairless, whereas its underside is lightly pubescent (covered in hairs).

The flowers, called capitula, grow in tight, round clusters, and the inflorescences grow in small white and pink umbels. The flowers are made up of many long, pinkish and red stamens. This type of flower is characteristic to the subfamily Mimosoideae.

The rain tree’s fruits are large, leathery pods that are indehiscent (do not open at maturity). The pods are long and flat, brown or black in colour, and measure between 10 and 20 centimetres long. The pulp inside is sweet and sticky and surrounds the pod’s numerous small seeds.