Cassia Bakeriana

Description

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Cassia Bakeriana (Pink Cassia) is a small tree or shrub, reaching a height of about 30 feet. It has an open spreading crown of delicate feathery leaves and strong arching branches. It has smooth, gray bark and all young parts are densely pubescent. Its leaves are bluish-green, velvety, pinnate, alternate, and 1 foot or more in length. In addition, the leaves have 5 to 7 pairs of rounded oblong leaflets each 1 to 2 inches long.

In addition, Cassia Bakeriana is known for producing a showy display of fragrant pink-purple flowers with yellow stamens. These large and showy blooms have a 2 inch stem and 3 long extended stamens. Cassia blooms in early spring (March-April) in 4-10” long drooping racemes.  In some climates, bloom may commence later in spring. Flowering occurs when the tree is bare of leaves; attracts bees and butterflies.Flowers are followed by large bean-like seed pods. Each pod (to 16” long) has 30-40 seeds. Large compound even-pinnate soft blue-green leaves (each to 10-16” long) have 5-7 pairs of small, round-tipped, oblong to oblong-lanceolate leaflets (each to 2-3″ long). This tree is semi-evergreen because the leaves eventually drop in winter prior to the commencement of new growth in late winter to early spring.

Furthermore, the thin fruits are gray to brown, velvety pods 12 to 16 inches long containing numerous disc-shaped seeds. The Cassia Bakeriana (Pink Cassia) can be grown from seed. Published information is lacking on the growth requirements of pink cassia, but cassias generally grow best in well-drained soils. As a medium-sized tree with spectacular flowers, pink cassia is suitable as an avenue or street tree, specimen tree and in public open spaces such as civic centers.