Cassia SIAMEA

Cassia SIAMEA - Siamese Cassia, Kassod Tree, Senna Siamea, Senna, Kheelek.

Cassia is a genus of trees, shrubs, subshrubs, and herbs in the legume family (Fabaceae), comprising about 30 species distributed across the tropical belt 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 until autumn. The 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 somewhat compressed, 30-60 cm (11.8-23.6 in) long, indehiscent. The endocarp forms a complete septum between each pair of successive seeds. The seeds are numerous, arranged in one or two rows.

Siamese cassia is an evergreen tree with long dark leaves and bright yellow flowers. It is known primarily as a medicinal plant. It has a calming effect on the body, relieving anxiety and tension. In contrast to synthetic medications, it is known not only as a sedative and mild sleep aid, but also as a general tonic.

The seeds are pre-scarified (without disrupting the seed coat, germination will be minimal); to achieve this, the outer hull is carefully nicked or scratched with a hard tool without damaging the embryo, or small seeds are scalded with hot (~80 °C (~176 °F)) water, after which they are soaked for 12 hours in cold water with the addition of stimulants (SUPERthrive, HB-101, Aminosol, Epin, or Zircon), then sown into a light, breathable mixture to a depth of 0.7-1 cm (0.3-0.4 in), moistened with a spray bottle, placed in a mini-greenhouse or covered with film, and germinated in bright light but out of direct sunlight at a temperature of 22-30 °C (72-86 °F). Seedlings require ventilation. Overwatering and drying out of the sowing must be avoided.

The first seedlings appear several weeks after sowing. At the stage of 2-4 pairs of true leaves, pricking out of the seedlings into individual pots or into open ground is carried out.

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Cassia is very undemanding in cultivation. The optimal conditions in outdoor cultivation for cassias are a hot summer climate without winter frosts, abundant lighting, a sunny location, and moderate watering. When keeping plants in domestic conditions, it is important to properly select lighting conditions.

It prefers a sunny exposure with at least six hours of sunlight per day, without overexposing to harsh direct sunlight and providing light shading on extremely hot summer days. In winter, without supplemental lighting, it may drop some of its leaves.

When kept indoors at a temperature of 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.

Mature plants are extremely drought-resistant; however, during active growth, abundant watering is required as the top layer of soil dries out. In the winter period, the frequency of watering depends on the ambient temperature. When kept at room temperature in autumn, watering is gradually restricted. Under dormancy conditions, cassia is watered very moderately, almost sparingly.

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

In early spring, as needed, thorough pruning can be performed; in autumn, only the current year's shoots are trimmed back, and only by one-third. Cassia responds well to training, providing a wonderful opportunity to try one's hand at the art of bonsai.