Rain tree

The umbrella-shaped crowns of rain trees form green tunnels over the streets – their leaves fold up at dusk and before rain.

The rain tree is a spreading tree of the legume family with a distinctive broad, umbrella-shaped crown that can reach 30–40 m across. It has bipinnate leaves whose leaflets fold up in the evening and in cloudy weather – hence the name “rain tree”. It bears pink, powder-puff flowers made up mainly of long stamens, followed by sweetish pods. It comes from Central and South America but now grows throughout the tropics.

Significance in the country

The rain tree was introduced to Singapore in 1876 and became one of the symbols of the “Garden City” programme launched in the 1960s. Its Malay name, pukul lima (“five o’clock”), refers to the folding of its leaves in the late afternoon.

Where it grows

Throughout the city as an avenue and park tree – magnificent rows shade many main roads, and venerable specimens grow in the Singapore Botanic Gardens and in seaside parks, among other places.

More: Wikipedia (en)