About Cassia grandis L.f.
Cassia grandis L.f. is a flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae. It is one of several species commonly called the pink shower tree, and it is known as carao in Spanish. This species is native to the neotropics, and can grow to a height of up to 30 meters, or 98 feet. Its natural distribution spans from southern Mexico to Venezuela and Ecuador. It grows in forests and open fields at lower elevations, and it is widely planted as an ornamental plant. In at least Costa Rica, its pods are stewed to produce a thick, molasses-like syrup. This syrup, called Jarabe de Carao or Miel de Carao, is used as a sweetener, and is also consumed for its claimed nutritional and medicinal effects.
