I can't think of a single drawback to this wonderful tree.
Tidy, tough drought-tolerant, lush, generous bloomer, good shape (and easy to prune to the shape you need).

I even like the pods. A total winner.

Kip

Hi Buddyben,
Yes! Green Arrow/Thumb (can't remember which it is)on Sepulveda. They have the best fruit and ornamental tree selection that I know of in the Valley. Sperling Nursery in Calabasas is my favorite nursery, but I don't recall what their tree selection is like.
If I am correct in my identification, the Home Depot parking lot in Simi Valley is planted with this tree, and it can be truly spectacular, with bright yellow blossoms and very pretty foliage. I believe it is deciduous, no?
I planted a gledistia (spelling?)for the same sort of purpose, and I love its weepy leaves and ferny foliage, which is almost chartreuse when it first leafs out in the spring. It's main drawbacks: no flowers, deciduous, prone to branches breaking in the Simi winds. A gas station at the corner of Parthenia and Tampa is planted with this tree, if you want to go take a look.

How big was the container and how tall did the Gold Medallion get?

In a generic black 5 gal nursery pot. It wasnt ever really trained to be anything like a bonsai or any real shape. Just kept for what it was-an interesting flowering tree about 3-4' tall. Another was a Tabebuia chrysotricha,that flowered in a ONE gallon pot. A third now that i'm naming names is the Jacaranda. I had it flowering in a 5-10 gallon pot. It looked like a big flowering fern when kept potted. There are so many great trees to be kept as potted trees on the patio here in California and people just keep to the Home Depot house plant section....

I grew a cassia (forgot which one, and not as attractive as Cassia leptophylla) from seed. Not only is it a lovely, drought tolerant tree, but also the larval food plant for clouds of sulfur butterflies. Egg laying occurs mostly during the flowering period. The larvae are yellow when the tree flowers, then green as they switch to leaves. =^,,^=

The city of Lomita near me has either Crown of Gold Tree (Cassia excelsa) or Gold Medallion Tree (Cassia leptophylla), I'm not sure which, planted all along the main sidewalks in those little cement squares that never get any water. It still looks great even after this drought and adds a lot of color, but I do wish they would prune oof the 2' seedpods that hang down and slap you in the face as you walk.

I put both of these in as street trees in front of my building. I can't think of much that I don't like except maybe the pods are a little unsightly and the leaves really only occur at the end of branches.

several of these are planted in the patio of the norton simon museum in pasadena. the pods are striking , long and hard, no flowers but good shape and 25 ft tall, a good border tree.

Native Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) will get that large and become quite picturesque the older they get. The Cassia is very beautiful though.

Hi--
I have what I think is a cassia, maybe leptophylla. My friend gave me a sprout, from a seed from her tree, that I left in a pot and neglected for a couple of years, amazed that it didn't die. I FINALLY planted it a couple of years ago and it hasn't grown very much, nor has it bloomed to confirm the flower, but the leaves look like the cassia, and I believe that is what my friend originally said it was. It is only about 2 1/2 feet tall. I had heard they grow fast. What can I do to get this beauty to take off? Thanks for any suggestions you can give me!

These are street trees in Capitola along 41st ave. and are just beautiful when in bloom.

I have a gold medallion tree and has lost a lot of leaves - how do you suggest I trim the tree. I did a have several blooms this year. The tree was planted in
April '10 from a 5 gallon container. I live is So. Calif.

Why do you want to prune it? They normally grow into a lovely shape if you leave them alone. Is it too big for its spot?

Sometimes trees drop leaves from the heat, and we had that week of high temperatures. Leaves will grow back.

Renee

Boething Treeland near 101/Mulholland in the west valley is a good place to walk around and look at specimens. And the staff is knowledgeable and friendly.

Here is a link that might be useful: Boething Treeland

The cassia is just a glorious tree!! I was wondering how yours did? I'm trying to get one I planted to grow. I'm not meeting with much success so I was wondering if you could take out the time to have a look at the link I'm providing. A picture of yours would be great if you could post. Also, do you think it's a reasonable idea to grow in a pot and then transplant into the soil. I wanted mine to grow to a height of say 10-12 feet and then spread into a canopy. Is that kind of height possible in a pot?
Thanks and great going with the Jacaranda too.

Here is a link that might be useful: cassia fistula just won't grow! help