
What is Senna and how do you grow it?
It’s been popular as a natural laxative for centuries and is still commonly used today. Even beyond senna herbal use, it’s a hardy, beautiful plant with bright yellow flowers that attract bees and other pollinators. Keep reading to learn more about how to grow senna. What is senna?
What is Senna (Senna hebecarpa)?
Senna ( Senna hebecarpa syn. Cassia hebecarpa) is a perennial herb that grows naturally throughout eastern North America. It’s been popular as a natural laxative for centuries and is still commonly used today. Even beyond senna herbal use, it’s a hardy, beautiful plant with bright yellow flowers that attract bees and other pollinators.
What is the scientific name for Senna?
Senna, any of several plants, especially of the genus Cassia, in the pea family (Fabaceae), mostly of subtropical and tropical regions. Many are used medicinally; some yield tanbark used in preparing leather. Some sennas are among the showiest flowering trees. Alexandrian senna ( C. acutifolia ), from Egypt, Sudan, and Nigeria, and C.
How many stamens does a Senna plant have?
Senna includes herbs, shrubs, and trees. The leaves are pinnate with opposite paired leaflets. The inflorescences are racemes at the ends of branches or emerging from the leaf axils. The flower has five sepals and five usually yellow petals. There are ten straight stamens. The stamens may be different sizes, and some are staminodes.
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Can I grow a senna plant?
0:002:22Senna plant - grow and care - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSenna plant a crop lands dot-org also known as Senna's. This is can grow as herb. Or small tree orMoreSenna plant a crop lands dot-org also known as Senna's. This is can grow as herb. Or small tree or even a tree it's the height. Of two to seven meter it's mean like 6 to 23 feet if I'm not mistaken.
Which country is largest exporter of senna leaves?
IndiaIndia is the largest exporter of Senna leaves and accounts for 6,178 shipments.
Where does senna come from?
Senna is an herb that comes from several different flowering species of the Cassia plants. The leaves, flowers, and fruits of the senna plant have been used in tea as a laxative or stimulant for centuries. The leaves of the Senna plant are also used in some teas to help relieve constipation or promote weight loss.
Is senna harmful to health?
Senna (Cassia species) is a popular herbal laxative that is available without prescription. Senna is generally safe and well tolerated, but can cause adverse events including clinically apparent liver injury when used in high doses for longer than recommended periods.
Where is Senna grown in India?
In India, Senna is cultivated in Gujarat, Rajasthan (where the sandy soil increases productivity), Tamil Nadu (mainly in the districts of Tinnevelly, Madurai, Tiruchirapalli), and Karnataka (Mysuru). It is grown as an early summer (February-March) or early winter (October-November) crop.
What is Senna Leaf?
Senna is the fruit (pod) or leaf of the plant Senna alexandrina. It is approved in the US as a laxative for short-term treatment of constipation. Senna contains many chemicals called sennosides. Sennosides irritate the lining of the bowel, which causes a laxative effect.
Is it OK to drink senna tea everyday?
Senna is meant to serve as a short-term constipation remedy. You shouldn't use it for more than 7 consecutive days unless otherwise directed by your healthcare provider (2). Long-term senna tea intake may lead to laxative dependence, electrolyte disturbances, and liver damage.
What is senna leaf tea good for?
Senna tea is most commonly used for occasional constipation. Researchers have found that the active compounds in senna have a strong laxative effect. 5 They work by irritating the lining of the colon. This promotes colon contractions and bowel movements.
What's another name for senna?
Senna is available under the following different brand names: Senokot, ExLax Regular Strength, Lax Pills, Little Tummys Stimulant Laxative Drops, Senexon, SennaGen, Senna Smooth, ExLax Maximum Strength, and SenokotXTRA.
Does senna damage the colon?
These results suggest that the alteration of the number of DOPA-positive cells is related to the status of feces. Some previous reports indicated that senna causes diarrhea, injures epithelial cells of the colon and causes apoptosis these cells, then macrophages phagocytose these dead cells.
What drug class is senna?
Senna is in a class of medications called stimulant laxatives. It works by increasing activity of the intestines to cause a bowel movement.
Is senna anti inflammatory?
Abstract. Several species of Senna are well known for their therapeutic properties, being used in folk medicine to treat throat inflammation and constipation. In this regard, the anti-inflammatory, laxative and intestinal motility effects of different extracts of Senna macranthera (Colladon) H.
Who is largest exporter of tea?
ChinaIn 2021, China exported approximately 2.30 billion U.S. dollars' worth of tea, making it the leading exporter of tea worldwide....Leading tea exporting countries worldwide in 2021 (in million U.S. dollars)CharacteristicTrade value in million U.S. dollars--9 more rows•Jul 18, 2022
Who is the largest exporter of tea in India?
The Indian state of Assam is the largest tea-growing region globally, and it is also the largest exporter of tea in India with 40% of the country's overall tea exports. Other top tea exporting states in India include West Bengal, famous for its Darjeeling tea, and the southern states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Which country is the largest importer of tea in the world?
PakistanSearchable List of Tea Importing Countries in 2021RankImporter2020-11.Pakistan+1%2.United States+12.3%3.Russia+5.8%4.United Kingdom-12.1%6 more rows•Jul 4, 2022
Which countries are the largest exporters of tea?
TOP 10 TEA EXPORTING COUNTRIESRankCountryMetric tonnes of tea produced per annum1China2,400,0002India900,0003Kenya305,0004Sri Lanka300,0006 more rows•Sep 10, 2020
Where are Sennas native?
This diverse genus is native throughout the tropics, with a small number of species in temperate regions. The number of species is estimated to be from about 260 to 350.
What family is Senna?
Tharpia Britton & Rose. Vogelocassia Britton. Xerocassia Britton & Rose. Senna, the sennas, is a large genus of flowering plants in the legume family ( Fabaceae, subfamily Caesalpinioideae, tribe Cassieae ). This diverse genus is native throughout the tropics, with a small number of species in temperate regions.
What is the Egyptian senna?
Historically, Egyptian senna ( S. alexandrina) was used as a laxative in the form of senna pods, or as herbal tea made from the leaves. Senna is considered to be a bowel stimulant on the myenteric plexus of the colon to induce peristaltic contractions and decrease water absorption from inside the colon, effects that would provide relief from constipation.
How many species of Senna are there?
The number of species is estimated to be from about 260 to 350. The type species for the genus is Senna alexandrina. About 50 species of Senna are known in cultivation.
How do bees pollinate Senna?
Senna species are pollinated by a variety of bees, especially large female bees in genera such as Xylocopa. They rely on "buzz pollination" and some within that on "ricochet pollination", which is a secondary pollen presentation where the pollen is not deposited on the pollinator's body by direct contact with the anthers. The flowers have two sets of stamen: feeding stamens, which are longer, and pollinating stamens, which are smaller in size. Due to buzz pollination, the pollens from the pollinating stamens get thrown from the anthers and ricochets against the petals multiple times before it settles on the dorsal side of the pollinating bee. The roughness on the petal walls causes the pollen to slow down its speed. The ricocheting effect alone cannot ensure effective pollen dissemination. It is aided by static charges wherein the flying bees become positively charged owing to the friction in the air and the pollen becomes negatively charged because of which they naturally get attracted to the bees body. The pollinator bee ends up carrying the pollen and also gets to feed on the pollen which is on the feeding stamens.
Who separated Senna from Cassia?
Philip Miller segregated Senna from Cassia in 1754 in the fourth edition of The Gardeners Dictionary. Until 1982, many authors, following Linnaeus, did not recognize Senna and Chamaecrista, but included them in a broadly circumscribed Cassia sensu lato.
Is Cassia a monophyletic group?
In 1982, the group was named Cassiinae and classified as a subtribe of the tribe Cassieae. The tribe Cassieae contains 21 genera and is now known to be polyphyletic, but the classification is still accepted because a revision of Fabaceae has yet to be published.
Where does the Senna come from?
Alexandrian senna (C. acutifolia), from Egypt, Sudan, and Nigeria, and C. sieberana, from Senegal to Uganda, are cultivatedin India for their catharticproperties. Tanner’s senna (C. auriculata), a tall shrub, is a principal native tanbark in southern India.
What is a Senna?
Many are used medicinally; some yield tanbark used in preparing leather. Some sennas are among the showiest flowering trees.
How tall do sennas grow?
In the eastern United States, wild sennas (C. hebecarpaand C. marilandica) grow up to 1.25 metres (4 feet) high and have showy spikes of yellow flowers. Coffee senna, or styptic weed (C. occidentalis), native to North and South America, is widely grown in the Old World tropics for its cathartic and laxative properties. The candlestick senna, or candlebush (C. alata), is a showy shrub that may grow up to 2.5 metres (8 feet) high; it is common in the tropics and is cultivated in California as an ornamental.
What is the name of the shrub with yellow flowers?
The bladder sennas (Coluteaspecies) are Old World shrubs or small trees; their yellow flowers are followed by inflated pods. Scorpion senna ( Coronilla emerus), also shrubby, is grown as an ornamental for its yellow flowers.
What is an American Senna?
American Senna is a perennial in the bean family native to moist forested areas and disturbed sites in eastern North America. Showy light orange to yellow flowers form seed pods that attract birds. This plant is drought tolerant once established and tolerant of wet soils. This plant is easy to propagate by seeds started in the early fall or by the division of roots in the early spring or fall. Full sun aids in better flowering and while it can withstand sandy or rocky soils it prefers rich, loamy soil.
When to start a sage plant?
This plant is easy to propagate by seeds started in the early fall or by the division of roots in the early spring or fall. Full sun aids in better flowering and while it can withstand sandy or rocky soils it prefers rich, loamy soil.
What color flowers do Senna have?
The gorgeous yellow flowers that cover Senna in summer are a bonus, since the vibrant green leaves are beautiful enough by themselves, all year round.
Is Senna corymbosa evergreen?
Senna corymbosa. Sennas are a beautiful evergreen addition to most any landscape. Drought and heat tolerance are at the top of the list of plant characteristics for most people these days, and this plant has plenty of both. It thrives with only once a week watering, and will survive on much less. The gorgeous yellow flowers ...
Where Can I Find This Plant in Nature?
Learn about the Native Environment (s) inhabited by the plants in this database.
What is the food source of sulfur butterflies?
This erect, shrubby herbaceous perennial is the larval food source for two sulphur butterflies. Clusters of brownish yellow, pea-like flowers top unbranched stems in summer. Flowers give way to arching, pea-like seed pods (to 4 in. long) which turn black in fall and ornamental through winter. Feathery, compound, locustlike, green leaves.
Can you get senna naturally from foods?
Senna fruit and leaves are edible. The fruit may act a little more gently than the leaves. Some people drink senna tea for constipation.
Does Senna help with constipation?
Research has found that senna may help with constipation. It seems to stimulate the intestines. It may work for constipation caused by pregnancy, surgery, or drug side effects. There's also some evidence that senna effectively cleans out the bowels before a colonoscopy.
Where does Senna grow?
Senna is a shrub that grows in Africa, India, and some other parts of the world. For centuries, senna leaves and fruit have been a folk remedy for constipation. Senna is sold in the U.S. as both a supplement and an ingredient in FDA-approved drugs.
Do diet supplements have to be regulated by the FDA?
They could interact with diuretics, blood thinners, and medications for heart problems and diabetes. Dietary supplements are not regulated by the FDA in the same way that food and drugs are. The FDA does not review these supplements for safety or efficacy before they hit the market.
Can you take Senna while pregnant?
Risks. Always follow the directions on the bottle. If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, check with a doctor before using senna .
What is candlestick senna?
Candlestick Plant Info. Candlestick senna, previously called candlestick cassia ( Cassia alata ), is described as a small tree or shrub, depending on which candlestick plant info one reads. When growing candle bush in the warmest of USDA plant hardiness zones, the plant may return for several years, allowing the trunk to develop to tree size.
How to grow candle bush from seed?
Growing candle bush can be started from seed. Soak seeds overnight and direct sow in the spring when chances of frost have passed. Keep in mind, candlestick senna may reach 15 feet (4.5 m.) in height, so make sure it has room to shoot up and out.
Is candlestick senna an annual?
In more northern areas of the south, grow candle bush as an annual that may return following unusually mild winters. Candlestick senna provides spiky, bold, late summer color, making it a somewhat useful specimen for many warm season landscapes.
Does candlestick senna attract pollinators?
Candlestick plant info indicates the brightly flowering bush attracts pollinators, as larvae of sulphur butterflies feed on the plant. Candlestick senna is also said to have anti-fungal properties.
Where does the popcorn plant come from?
Peg Aloi is an experienced gardener and writer whose interests include the folklore of plants and herbs. The popcorn plant is native to central and eastern Africa. It's a tall shrub, and in its native habitat it can grow up to twenty-five feet in height.
What does a sage plant smell like?
Some people find the smell to be less pleasant, and more similar to a wet dog's fur.
How tall does a popcorn plant grow?
Back to Top. The popcorn plant is native to central and eastern Africa. It's a tall shrub, and in its native habitat it can grow up to twenty-five feet in height. When grown as a small shrub in colder climates as an annual, it usually doesn't get taller than three feet.
How to keep a sage plant hydrated?
Misting the leaves with water in a sprayer is also advisable if the weather is hot and dry. You can also keep a shallow dish of water nearby to help keep it hydrated.
How long do sage leaves grow?
The leaves grow to about three inches long and run in pairs up and down the stem. To bring out the scent you have to run your fingers lightly across the leaves. The plant is popular with children for its recognizable scent that must be coaxed by touching.
Is Senna pendula weedy?
One variety of the Senna genus can be quite weedy in some hot humid regions such as south Florida. Check the label and be sure to get Senna didymobotrya and not Senna pendula var. glabrata. However, grown as an annual in most places, they are an attractive and interesting plant.
Can popcorn plants be planted in containers?
They're fairly easy to grow in containers, but can also be planted in the garden. With proper care, plenty of water and fertilizer, they will bloom all summer long and into the autumn, but will be at their most floriferous in the hot humid days of summer. When other plants wilt in the heat, the popcorn plant flourishes.

Overview
Senna, the sennas, is a large genus of flowering plants in the legume family (Fabaceae, subfamily Caesalpinioideae, tribe Cassieae). This diverse genus is native throughout the tropics, with a small number of species in temperate regions. The number of species is estimated to be from about 260 to 350. The type species for the genus is Senna alexandrina. About 50 species of Senna are kno…
Description
Senna includes herbs, shrubs, and trees. The leaves are pinnate with opposite paired leaflets. The inflorescences are racemes at the ends of branches or emerging from the leaf axils. The flower has five sepals and five usually yellow petals. There are ten straight stamens. The stamens may be different sizes, and some are staminodes. The fruit is a legume pod containing several seeds.
Systematics
Chamaecrista, Cassia, and Senna form a monophyletic group which some authors have called Cassia sensu lato. In 1982, the group was named Cassiinae and classified as a subtribe of the tribe Cassieae. The tribe Cassieae contains 21 genera and is now known to be polyphyletic, but the classification is still accepted because a revision of Fabaceae has yet to be published.
The genus Senna has had a complex taxonomic history. What is now known as Senna was inclu…
Etymology
The genus name derives from the Arabic sanā, describing plants whose leaves and pods have cathartic and laxative properties.
Species
As of December 2019 , Plants of the World Online accepted the following species:
• Senna acanthoclada (Griseb.) H.S.Irwin & Barneby
• Senna acclinis (F.Muell.) Randell
Ecology
The caterpillars of many species feed on Senna plants. The black witch (Ascalapha odorata), two-barred flasher (Astraptes fulgerator), common emigrant (Catopsilia pomona), and mottled emigrant (C. pyranthe) have all been recorded on candle bush (S. alata), for example.
Some species have extrafloral nectaries on the leaves or flower stalks that are visited by ants.
Senna species are pollinated by a variety of bees, especially large female bees in genera such as X…
Uses
Some Senna species are used as ornamental plants in landscaping. The species is adapted to many climate types.
Cassia gum, an extract of the seeds of Chinese senna (S. obtusifolia), is used as a thickening agent. The leaves and flowers of Siamese cassia (S. siamea) are used in some Southeast Asian cuisines, such as Thai, Shan/Burmese and Lao cuisines. They are known as khi-lek in Thai, and ar…
Fossil record
A fossil seed pod of Senna sp. from the middle Eocene epoch has been described from the Rancho clay pit in Henry County, Tennessee (United States).