Rain Tree

This very tropical tree, though native to Central and South America, has found itself home across the world’s tropical belt. From Hawaii, to Mumbai, Singapore, Chennai, and Karachi, this large tree excels in coastal areas and is renowned for its broad canopy and delightful pink flowers.

Rain Trees develop iconic large canopies which offer excellent shade. These far reaching trees can grow up to 35 feet tall in Karachi with a canopy that can be up to about 60 feet wide. Rain Trees truly have a striking presence wherever they are.

Rain Trees are really rather hardy trees which excel as street trees. Certainly even when caked by asphalt, concrete, and tarmac these mighty trees persevere like few others. Still, it is crucial for their long term health that they be given open space to breathe.

Rain trees have a rather notable habit in that at night, they close up their leaves to conserve water. While this happens in other trees like the Gul Mohr and Tamarind as well, it isn’t nearly as pronounced as in the Rain tree. This is actually where their name comes from as their leaves close up before it rains.

While once perhaps in vogue, Rain trees are unfortunately a rarer sight nowadays. Still, they remain a pleasure to see in Karachi’s older areas.