Cassia fistula
is one species for which it seems that the hotter and drier the climate, the more it is blanketed by long, cascading golden yellow flowers that gave it its common name, golden shower. A neighbour's tree blooms every year but only scantily. Last month, the whole tree was covered by flowers, literally with not even one leaf in sight, and it was an awesome sight. I could only imagine how breathtaking it would be if there were many trees in the compound instead of just one.
At the Railway Park, or Suan Rot Fai, near the Chatuchak weekend market, several trees all turned yellow with flowers last month and plant enthusiast Ratasit Charutrakulchai was so taken by them that he went to the park repeatedly to take photos. "Early to mid-April is the height of their blooming season," he said. "Their beauty is unrivalled. They are Bangkok's answer to Tokyo's sakura (cherry blossom) trees.