Fabaceae-Caesalpinaceae
Cassia petersiana
Eared Senna
Not currently in the nursery
We can propagate most native species on request — get in touch to discuss timeline and quantity.
About
Eared Senna is a deciduous shrub or small tree, typically growing 0.6 to 12 metres tall, with fissured, rough bark. Its compound leaves feature 6 to 12 pairs of lanceolate to ovate leaflets, distinguished by prominent, ear-shaped stipules at the base of the petioles. The plant produces copious, showy clusters of bright yellow, sweetly scented flowers in large terminal sprays, followed by flattened, dark brown to black pods up to 25 cm long.
Where it works in Kilifi
This species thrives in full sun and well-draining loamy soil, though it tolerates poorer conditions. It is ideal as a specimen tree or within shrub borders in open, sunny locations in a Kilifi-coast garden, reflecting its natural habitat in wooded grasslands and riverine fringes.
Growing notes
Eared Senna is a quick-growing and hardy plant that is drought tolerant once established, preferring infrequent deep watering during dry conditions. It experiences a dormancy period during the dry season. Propagation can be done from seeds, which benefit from scarification, or from cuttings.
Sources
Researched with web grounding from: wikipedia.org, mozambiqueflora.com, google.com, jstor.org, kew.org, zimbabweflora.co.zw. Please verify with local knowledge before relying on these notes.