The beautiful shrub that is known as `Tanga Pu` to the Tamil people in India is the `Golden Shower`. This is named as `Pyrostegia` in science and this belongs to the family of `Bignoniaceae`. The name `Pyrostegia` has derived from the Greek word `pyr` that means "fire" and `stege` that means "a roof". This name refers to the colour and form of the upper lip of the flower. The numerous types of Bignonias are generally called as `Trumpet Flowers`. The name `Bignonia` was given to honour the librarian to Louis 14th, Abbe Jean Paul Bignon. It has some other names in English as well. The names are: the `Orange Bignonia`, `Flame Vine` and `Flaming Trumpet`.
This is an extensively climbing plant. It contains a large number of beautiful and attractive flowers. During the month of February, you can see the bunches of these flowers even at the highest part of the tall trees. The stems of the `Golden Shower` are strong, angled and green in colour. They bear some pairs of leaflets up to 6.3 cm in length on longish stalks. In fact the plant produces three leaflets if grows normally, but the centre leaflet either never develops or is transformed into a long tendril. This time, it is divided into three tiny hooks at the end. After attaching with some object, the tips of the tendrils often turn into small discs. The leaves of this plant are bright and of dark green colour. They are shiny at the top and rather hairy beneath. The calyx is small and fitted loosely. It is like a round cup that is minutely notched at the edge. The rich, shining, orange coloured tube of the flower emerges from the calyx. The tube expands at the mouth and divides into five, white coloured edged lobes. The two lower lobes are partly united.
The flowers usually appear in some dense, floppy clusters. Their appearing period is between the months of February and April. They do not have any perfume and they have a very short flowering season. The `Golden Shower` is an admirable ornament for any garden. Probably, it is the most outstanding and elegant climbing plant in the world. It frames along a garden fence, up a Palm or over an old tree stump. It has the exceptional ability to remain effective all through the year. The plant is densely evergreen and it never becomes messy or untidy. The flowers are like honeysuckles. During the short flowering season of the plant, the marvelous beauty of these flowers is really a pleasure to see. The `Golden Shower` can thrive well in any good, tough soil and it propagates by cuttings of the old wood that is set in sand under glass.
