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angeltrumpeteer

Cassia Alata

AngelTrumpeteer
18 years ago

A dear GW friend gave me seeds for this plant. The foliage is wonderful. It lays down during the day and 'prays' at night.

It's topping out at about 5 feet now. I think it's going to be stunning when it blooms:)

{{gwi:582839}}

Comments (26)

  • trianglejohn
    18 years ago

    A friend gave me a seed this year also. I love this plant. Don't care if it ever blooms, the leaves are fantastic! I am growing it in one of my state fair garden plots and it should be over the fence by October. I started mine indoors in early May and planted it outside once the temps got up to 90 degrees. It is now taller than me and has no plans on stopping.

  • new2nocarolina
    18 years ago

    Does this have a'common' name? Are seeds available in stores?

  • AngelTrumpeteer
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    John, I direct sowed mine early in the spring. I planted a few more, a little later, so I have different sizes right now.
    You're so right, the foliage is wonderful. I hope I get lots of seeds! That's the only reason I really want it to bloom ;)

    The common name is Seven Golden Candlesticks (I think). If I have seeds, I'll be happy to share some with you new2nc!

  • trianglejohn
    18 years ago

    It has a bunch of common names, the one I hear most often is Candlestick Tree or Candlestick Plant.

    The friend that gave me the seed said not to waste the effort to plant it early, that the seedlings just sit there until the weather gets hot (really hot, like 90). Once it gets going it will put on enormous size - in his yard they were like 10-12 feet tall. Amazing seeing as the seed was tiny (the size and shape of a bell pepper seed).

  • AngelTrumpeteer
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Happy to report that the cassia are bloomin'! They do look like golden candlesticks.
    The plant is about 9 or 10' tall.

    Just love this plant.

  • alicia7b
    18 years ago

    Angel,
    Can you post a picture?

  • AngelTrumpeteer
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Alicia,
    I'll get a good pic of the flowers tomorrow and post a pic ;)

  • brenda_near_eno
    18 years ago

    A confession. I pilfered 4 seeds of Senna corymbosa from a plant at the Botanical Garden at New Orleans City Park last spring. Now of course that magnificent garden and glass greenhouse is underwater. The plants are doing fine in NC. I feel more guilty than ever now.

  • dellare
    18 years ago

    Oh Brenda....you should certainly feel less guilty for sure. "The plants are doing fine in NC". When I read your post, that line made me smile. Adele

  • AngelTrumpeteer
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Here's a pic of the cassia

    {{gwi:582842}}

    Oh...I'm thankful you pilfered! You SAVED a plant :)

  • new2nocarolina
    18 years ago

    I would love to have some seeds. It looks beautiful !!

  • alicia7b
    18 years ago

    The cassia must lend a very nice texture to your garden. What a lovely plant.

  • tropicalfreak
    17 years ago

    are any of you still growing this?? we call it candlebush down here in florida. i have one i am wanting to send my mom. will it come back year after year up there?? she i sin zone 7 (north asheville).

    no one mentioned how crazy the butterflies are for the blooms.
    thanks, cliff

  • trianglejohn
    17 years ago

    Hey Freak - I responded to your other post. I would think that these guys are hard to transplant. I have only grown them from seeds. And yes, the Giant Cloudless Sulphurs love the blooms.

  • julie916
    17 years ago

    Is the candlestick tree hardy to zone 8?

  • Dibbit
    17 years ago

    Southern Living's book says that Cassia alata is hardy in the tropical south - which is mostly mid-Florida and lower, zone 10 and warmer 9. Even with global warming, I don't think Asheville makes it, and not really zone 8 - MAYBE in a particularily sheltered micro-climate, but it's questionable. It seems you would have to start from seed every year, or grow it in a pot that comes under cover for the winter, for the most part.

  • kdbunnybots_aol_com
    16 years ago

    Cassia Alata is the name of a type of cinnamon - is this the plant it comes from??

  • brenda_near_eno
    16 years ago

    Update on my pilfered Senna (syn with Cassia) corymbosa. It's hardy here! Both plants I grew from seed came back now last two springs. One even blooms in my dappled shade. Unfortunately, seed I collected did not germinate. If I get seed this year, I'm happy to share with others who might want to try this demure (but hardy) cousin to candlestick tree.

  • dottie_in_charlotte
    16 years ago

    Oh I'd love to plant that cassia alata next year.

    Who can advise me where to site it? What conditions it likes..how much sun and moisture??

  • pfmastin
    16 years ago

    I saw it growing at the edge of a pond in full sun near Charleston, SC...don't know if that helps or not. :)

  • alicia7b
    16 years ago

    Cassia alata needs full sun, and a lot of moisture but not soggy soil.

  • lakewhysc
    16 years ago

    Kerry, no, the more "cheap" form of cinnamon is known as cassia--it is in a different genus--Cinnamomum cassia. Here in the US it is the typical cinnamon sold in stores as a spice. (real cinnamon is Cinnamomum zeylandicum/verum)

    A lot of been still here referring to this plant as a Cassia (which refers now mainly to tree-form plants), and it has been botanically called Senna alata for many years.

  • Filmore
    12 years ago

    I see a lot of posts here saying that this plant needs a lot of water. DO NOT over water this plant. It blooms much better when it is dryer.

  • four (9B near 9A)
    10 years ago

    All butterflies ignore the flowers on mine.
    Meaning for nectar;
    no doubt the flowers are a beacon for the sulphurs
    in locating their host.

    Regarding the question about transplantation
    - big : never tried
    - small and medium : reliably
    - seedlings : hit and miss

    I would like to know anyone's experience with
    the pruning of small /medium,
    for purpose of shaping.
    My objective would be tighter growth,
    i.e. closer and shorter fronds.

  • coorscat
    10 years ago

    Four, I have never tried to grow it in NC, but I do have it in my yard in South FL as both a bush and a tree. I don't think you are going to get shorter fronds, but you can remove lower branches to form it into a tree on a single trunk. As a bush, I just prune it as any other bush. I prune before the dry season because that is when it blooms down here.

  • four (9B near 9A)
    10 years ago

    Thanks for the useful information, I would like to try bush style.
    But mine (young) consist of one trunk, so, I do not know
    how to apply the "prune it as any other bush".

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