Cassia ALATA

Cassia ALATA - Winged senna, Cassia alata, Senna alata, Candlebush.

Cassia is a genus of trees, shrubs, subshrubs, and herbs in the legume family (Fabaceae), comprising about 30 species distributed in the tropical zone worldwide, predominantly in the deserts of Africa and Asia.

Plants of the genus have spirally arranged, alternate, evenly pinnate leaves consisting of four to five pairs of lanceolate, pointed leaflets. It blooms from late June to autumn. Yellow flowers gathered in terminal axillary panicles have 5 sepals and broad, unequal petals. There are ten stamens of varying lengths. The ovary is stipitate, and the style is filiform and curved.

The fruit is a broad elongated pod, cylindrical or nearly compressed, 30–60 cm (12–24 in) in length, indehiscent. The endocarp forms a complete partition between each pair of successive seeds. The seeds are numerous, arranged in one or two rows.

Winged senna is a low-growing shrub with attractive erect inflorescences of a pleasant yellow hue; the leaves are medium-small, oval in shape, dark green, and glossy. The leaves are evenly pinnate, with 8-20 pairs of oblong leaflets. The flowers are yellow-orange, gathered in vertical spike-like inflorescences resembling candles, which is why the plant is often called the Candelabra Bush. It begins blooming in the year of sowing and looks ideal on a windowsill.

Seeds are pre-scarified (without breaking the outer coat, germination will be minimal); for this, the outer coat is carefully nicked or scratched with a hard tool without damaging the seed, small seeds are scalded with hot (~80 °C / ~176 °F) water, after which they are soaked for 12 hours in cool water with the addition of stimulants (SUPERthrive, HB-101, Aminosol, Epin, or Zircon), then sown into a light breathable mix to a depth of 0.7–1 cm (0.3–0.4 in), moistened from a spray bottle, placed in a propagator or covered with film, and germinated in the light, but not in direct sun, at a temperature of 22–30 °C (72–86 °F). Seedlings require ventilation. Overwatering and drying out of sowings must be avoided.

The first sprouts appear several weeks after planting. At the stage of 2-4 pairs of true leaves, seedlings are pricked out into individual pots or planted into open ground.

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Cassia is very unpretentious in cultivation. Optimal conditions in outdoor culture for cassias are a hot summer climate without frost in winter, good illumination, a sunny location, and moderate watering. When keeping plants indoors, it is important to choose the lighting conditions properly.

It prefers a sunny exposure with a minimum of six hours of sunlight per day, without overexposing to scorching direct sunlight and providing shade on very hot summer days. In winter without supplemental lighting, it may shed part of its leaves.

When kept indoors at a temperature around 20 °C (68 °F), many species become evergreen. During the dormant period, the minimum temperature is 10 °C (50 °F). If the plant is provided with a dormant period, flowering will be more abundant.

Adult plants are extremely drought-resistant, but during active growth they require generous watering as the topsoil layer dries. In winter, watering frequency depends on the ambient temperature. When kept at room temperature, watering is gradually curtailed in autumn. Under dormant conditions, cassia is watered very moderately, almost sparingly.

The plant is undemanding regarding soil composition, but mixtures with sand are preferable. In early spring, one can begin feeding cassia twice a month with complex liquid mineral and organic fertilizers. From May to August, fertilizing is carried out weekly. When kept in warm conditions during winter, it can be fed once a month.

In early spring, as needed, thorough pruning can be performed; in autumn, only current-year shoots are pruned back by one third. Cassia responds well to shaping, which offers an excellent opportunity to try one's hand at the art of bonsai.