This broad-canopied tree is the Saman Tree, Samanea saman, also known as the Rain Tree.

It is native to tropical America but has been planted widely throughout the tropics as a shade tree. Its long, spreading branches can form an enormous umbrella-shaped crown, making it especially valuable in parks, pastures, and along roadsides.

The leaves are divided into many small leaflets. These fold together at night and during cloudy or rainy weather, which helped give the tree its common name, Rain Tree.

Its flowers appear in rounded clusters. Each flower has long stamens that are white near the base and pink toward the tips, giving the flower heads a soft, powder-puff appearance.

After flowering, the tree produces thick, curved brown pods. Inside is a sweet, sticky pulp surrounding the seeds. Livestock and wildlife may eat the pods and help disperse the seeds.

One of the most impressive features of the Saman Tree is the amount of space it can cover. A mature specimen may shade a very large area, creating a cool gathering place beneath its branches.

Its great size, graceful form, and delicate pink flowers make it one of the most memorable shade trees in a tropical garden.