Native to Central America and northern South America the species thrives naturally in dry forests and savannahs where annual rainfall ranges between 24 and 118 inches and elevations remain below 3,300 feet, forming a broad, umbrella-shaped canopy up to 100 ft across and reaching 50–80 ft tall. Commonly known as rain tree, it has been widely introduced throughout tropical areas and urban landscapes worldwide as a shade and ornamental tree due to its expansive crown and prolific, pom‑pom clusters of pink stamens. Wood from mature specimens is valued in the timber markets for its light-weight yet durable quality; heartwood and sapwood contrast—chocolate-brown versus pale yellow—used for furniture, veneers, turned bowls (notably the “monkey‑pod bowls” of Hawaii), musical instruments, construction timbers, charcoal, and firewood, while its bark yields low-grade gums and resin, and pods produce nutritious animal feed containing 12–18% protein and are used as fodder across Latin America and Asia. The sweet pulp within the bean-like pods is edible; children in native and introduced regions consume it raw or in beverages resembling tamarind, and the bark, leaves and roots appear in traditional medicine in Venezuela, Thailand, Nigeria and elsewhere to treat ailments ranging from cough and diarrhea to stomach cancer, though efficacy remains largely unverified by clinical trials. Agroforestry systems employ it as shade cover for livestock and for crops like cocoa, coffee, tea, nutmeg, vanilla, and cacao, where its leaf-folding behavior during rainy or overcast conditions enhances understory moisture and fosters grass growth beneath its canopy. The species is categorized as Least Concern by IUCN, yet exhibits invasive tendencies in regions like Fiji. Cultivated varieties include those with yellow foliage and compact form used in parks, avenues, and roadsides. Photographed in northern Colombia.