Cassia Siamea – Senna Siamea

Cassia Siamea – Senna Siamea
Senna siamea also known as Kassod Tree, Cassod Tree and as Cassia tree is a legume in the subfamily Caesalpinioideae. It is native to South and Southeast Asia, although its exact origin is unknown.
It is a medium size, evergreen tree growing up to 18 m with beautiful yellow flowers. It is often used as shade tree in cocoa, coffee and tea plantations. In Thailand it is the provincial tree of Chaiyaphum Province and some places in the country are named after it. Leaves are alternate, pinnately compound, with slender, green-reddish, tinged axis and 6 to 12 pairs of leaflets on short stalks, rounded at both ends.
Synonym: Cassia arborea, Cassia florida, Cassia gigantea, Cassia reticulata, Cassia siamea
Category
Trees
Tropicals and Tender Perennials
Height
30-40 ft. (9-12 m)
Spacing
20-30 ft. (6-9 m)
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Sun to Partial Shade
Light Shade
Danger
Parts of plant are poisonous if ingested
Bloom Color
Pale Yellow
Bright Yellow
Bloom Time
Mid Spring
Late Spring/Early Summer
Foliage
Evergreen
Other details
This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater
Requires consistently moist soil; do not let dry out between waterings
Propagation Methods
From seed; winter sow in vented containers, coldframe or unheated greenhouse
From seed; sow indoors before last frost
From seed; direct sow after last frost
Seed Collecting
Allow pods to dry on plant; break open to collect seeds
Uses
This plant has medicinal value and it contains a compound named Barakol. The leaves, tender pods and seeds are edible, but they must be previously boiled and the water discarded. They are used in Burmese and also in Thai cuisine where one of the most well-known preparations is Kaeng khilek.