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Senna spectabilis
Also called Scented Cassia, Whitebark Senna
In Singapore: American Cassia, Popcorn Tree, Weeping Cassia, Drooping Cassia, Popcorn Bush, Golden Wonder Tree, Spectacular Cassia, Yellow Cassia (Grown in Singapore)
Casia amarilla (Senna spectabilis) is a fast-growing shrub or deciduous tree from tropical South and Central America, grown for its bright yellow summer flowers. It needs full sun and well-drained soil, and it can become invasive in warm regions.
Senna spectabilis is a plant species of the legume family (Fabaceae) in the subfamily Caesalpinioideae native to South and Central America. They are often grown as an ornamental in front yards, parks, gardens, buildings etc. due to their bright yellow flowers that bloom during the summer months. They are also known as golden wonder tree, American cassia, popcorn tree, Cassia excelsa, golden shower tree or Archibald's cassia.
The plant has become an invasive alien species in parts of Africa such as Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda, and also in South-India, after it was introduced for resources such as firewood as well as to help combat deteriorating ecosystems affected by deforestation and desertification. Currently, S. spectabilis is overtaking native tree species of forestry ecosystems around the world because of its ability to grow quickly.
Senna spectabilis is native from South America first found in eastern tropical Brazil and coastal Ecuador, eventually migrating throughout Central America as well as the West Indies in forests from up to 2000 m of altitude.
Senna spectabilis has a few medicinal properties. The plant can be used as a treatment for ringworm and skin diseases. After extracting a leaf on alcohol there was significant antifungal activity, which suggests it can be used with infections caused by Candida albicans. The plant is effective against food borne pathogen B. Senna spectabilis also produces several substances that we deem necessary for metabolism, in which they are also used as a medicine or pharmaceutical drug. Pharmaceuticals that can produce piperidine alkaloids, pentacyclic terpenoids, and anthraquinones. It is also used in both eastern and western traditional medicine treating several different diseases and symptoms.
Emperor's candlesticks · Alexandrian senna · Silver senna · Matara Tea · Christmasbush · Argentine senna · African senna · American senna · Port Royal senna · False sicklepod · Java-bean · Senna odorata
[Contains information from Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Heritage Trees from data.gov.sg (National Parks Board), made available under the terms of the Singapore Open Data Licence version 1.0]
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Senna spectabilis by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
