The monkeypod tree is native to Central and South America but today, it's widely found throughout the tropics in Hawaii, Florida, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Besides monkeypod, it's also known as a rain tree. This name pro­bably comes from the fact that grass under a monkeypod tree always remains green, even in times of drought. There are a couple reasons for this; the first is the tree's large canopy, which keeps the ground below shaded and cool. Secondly, the monkeypod tree adds a lot of nitrogen to the surrounding soil from its seed pod droppings, which makes the grass greener.