Candletree (Senna alata)

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Shrub Tree
Sun Requirements:	Full Sun
Water Preferences:	Mesic Dry Mesic
Soil pH Preferences:	Moderately acid (5.6 – 6.0) Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5)
Minimum cold hardiness:	Zone 9a -6.7 °C (20 °F) to -3.9 °C (25 °F)
Maximum recommended zone:	Zone 11
Plant Height:	12 to 30 feet (3.5-9m)
Plant Spread:	10 to 15 feet (3-4.5m)
Leaves:	Evergreen
Fruit:	Showy
Fruiting Time:	Late summer or early fall Fall Late fall or early winter
Flowers:	Showy
Flower Color:	Yellow
Bloom Size:	1"-2"
Flower Time:	Late summer or early fall Fall Late fall or early winter Winter
Suitable Locations:	Street Tree Patio/Ornamental/Small Tree
Uses:	Windbreak or Hedge Provides winter interest Shade Tree Flowering Tree Medicinal Herb Cut Flower Will Naturalize Suitable as Annual
Wildlife Attractant:	Bees Butterflies Other Beneficial Insects: Wasps. Caution: Fire ants can often be found on the blooms
Resistances:	Humidity tolerant Drought tolerant
Toxicity:	Leaves are poisonous Roots are poisonous Fruit is poisonous Other: All parts of this plant are poisonous if swallowed.
Propagation: Seeds:	Depth to plant seed: 3/4 to 1 inch deep Can handle transplanting Other info: soaking seeds in water overnight will speed up the germination process
Propagation: Other methods:	Other: Suckers
Pollinators:	Wasps Moths and Butterflies Bumblebees Bees Various insects
Containers:	Suitable in 3 gallon or larger Needs repotting every 2 to 3 years Needs excellent drainage in pots
Miscellaneous:	Tolerates poor soil

Common names

Candletree
Candelabra Bush
Golden Candlestick
Seven Golden Candlesticks
Empress Candle Plant
Christmas Candle

Botanical names

Accepted: Senna alata
Synonym: Cassia alata

Photo Gallery

Location: My Northeastern Indiana Gardens - Zone 5b
Date: 2011-09-28
New leaf; ready to unfurl.

Uploaded by chelle

Location: By my mailbox in zone 9 Louisiana
Date: 2018-10-22
Late afternoon so notice leaves are folding for the night

Uploaded by tabbycat

Uploaded by Bubbles

Location: Tampa Bay, Florida
Date: October
Candlestick Cassia

Uploaded by BellaKelly

Uploaded by poisondartfrog

Location: My plant by mailbox
Date: 2018-10-12
10 inch flower candle just starting to open from bottom

Uploaded by tabbycat

Location: Benbrook, Texas
Date: 2008-09-25
Candle Tree (annual here) planted in early May from a 4” pot!!

Uploaded by oldFWlandscaper

Uploaded by Paul2032

Location: Winter Springs, FL zone 9b
Date: 2016-08-28

Uploaded by sunkissed

Location: Winter Springs, FL zone 9b
Date: 2016-08-24

Uploaded by sunkissed

Location: San Antonio Botanical Garden, San Antonio, Texas
Date: 2022-04-04

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Kerrville, TX
Date: October 2003

Uploaded by dave

Location: Plano, TX
Date: 2013-10-29
Immature seed pods

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Location: Plano, TX
Date: 2013-10-10
Close-Up of flowers

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Location: Mont Belvieu, TX
Date: 2016-08-20
Pollination of senna alata

Uploaded by Tredwards777

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Location: Kerrville, TX
Date: Oct 30, 2003

Uploaded by dave

Location: Terrell garden
Date: 2014-09-26

Uploaded by piksihk

Location: My front yard, N Watauga TX
Date: 2011-10-14
Fully mature in late summer, grown as an annual in zone 8 and abo

Uploaded by Debnes

$Date: 2011-10-02 Planted early spring at 18\" tall. One season growth about 9 foo$

Uploaded by Sheila_FW

Uploaded by piksihk

Uploaded by froggardener

Location: My Northeastern Indiana Gardens - Zone 5b
Date: Aug 14, 2011 8:20 AM

Uploaded by chelle

Uploaded by dave

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Location: My Northeastern Indiana Gardens - Zone 5b
Date: 2011-05-10

Uploaded by chelle

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

photo credit: Jeevan Jose, Kerala, India

Uploaded by robertduval14

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Location: LVMG Watauga TX
Date: 2011-07-02
The leaf branches fold together at night and in very cloudy weath

Uploaded by Debnes

Uploaded by Sheila_FW

Location: Lisa Veitenheimer Memorial Garden Watauga TX
Date: 2011-07-02
A few months old

Uploaded by Debnes

Uploaded by Sheila_FW

Location: Tampa, FL
Date: 2015-05-02
At USF Botanical Gardens

Uploaded by mellielong

Uploaded by mellielong

Location: Plano, TX
Date: 2013-09-27
The buds are about to open

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Location: My back yard
Date: OCT 27, 2011
You can see the green seed pods developing as it blooms

Uploaded by ilovejesus99

Location: Plano, TX
Date: 2013-10-10
More "candles" opened

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Location: Daytona Beach, Florida
Date: 2011-09-20

Uploaded by plantladylin

Uploaded by dave67

Uploaded by robertduval14

Uploaded by robertduval14

This plant is tagged in:

Comments:

Posted by flaflwrgrl (North Fl. - Zone 8b) on Sep 8, 2014 11:18 AM concerning plant:

Native to Southeast Asia, Africa, the Pacific islands, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.
Senna alata reseeds prolifically, and seedlings will sprout up all around the mother plant. Water can also carry the seeds away and plant them elsewhere.
This is an evergreen in its natural range, but it will grow as far north as zone 7. Generally, in zones 7 - 9, it is deciduous and dies back upon first frost. In these cases, it is a small tree of 6 - 10 feet or a shrub. It begins to bloom in its second year. After bloom time, it can take on a quite shabby appearance.
Pinching it when young will promote much more branching and more blooms.
If you live in Florida, it is not recommended to plant this as it has the potential to become invasive, so unless you are diligent about weeding the seedlings that sprout, you might want to consider leaving this out of your garden.

This plant contains chrysophanic acid, which is used in medicines that treat skin conditions, including ringworm; hence the common name of Ringworm Tree.

Reply to this comment
Posted by tabbycat (Youngsville, LA - Zone 9b) on Oct 20, 2018 9:11 PM concerning plant:

This spring I started this plant from seeds after a few years of not growing it. I always put it by my mailbox so everyone could enjoy its beauty. It also has room there to get 6'x5' by fall. It's late Oct. and it's 5' with three perfect golden candles that glow out in the full sun where it grows well. I rarely water it, so it depends on rain every few days. It has never been bothered by bugs or diseases, so I consider it a perfect showstopper plant I highly recommend it for zone 9.

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Discussion Threads about this plant

Thread Title	Last Reply	Replies
Incredible! by wcgypsy	Dec 24, 2012 2:19 PM	1
Not Senna corymbosa by plantladylin	Dec 10, 2022 12:19 PM	2

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Senna Candletree (Senna alata)

Senna
Candletree (Senna alata)