Growing locally in north central FL, photos taken today.







Blooms roughly 1.5 to 1.75" across



Approx. 15 feet tall


I have more photos but I think I've about covered everything. If there's something specific you want to see, just LMK.

Is a Senna bicapsularis

Thank you!

Hi! I live in tropical India. We have a tree cassia fistula ( the image is below) in India. In Kerala (a South Indian state) the flowers are used to usher in the Malayalam New Year (Keralites are called Malayalees). It is called the Kani Konna here. It starts blooming in January and blooms disappear by April. However there is one difference that I notice is in the shape of the leaves. Maybe the leaves in my picture are from an older and better growing tree.

To sow a bit of confusion...
Was looking at a cassia called 'golden' at lowes last week.

http://www.tradewindsfruit.com...

Seemed very similar to senna bicapsularis & senna-corymbosa.


So... How big around is that trunk?
How often has it been cut back down?

As you can see in the photo, it is multi-trunked, there is no single trunk. It did not appear to have ever been cut back. I do not have the plant; it is at a nursing home & I took photos of it. I really would like to determine the exact variety because I want one! I see these growing here & as far as I've been able to tell, they are evergreen here. Supposedly Senna bicapsularis is not evergreen here. I can not seem to find one that is and still fits the other features I am seeing.
The one you linked is Senna candolleana & that is not a fit for the plant I took photos of. Mine has 5 pairs of leaves; the S. candolleana has 6 pairs of leaves, plus form what little I can find on it, it only gets 5 to 6' tall and would grow in zones 9-11 which would again be warmer than I am.

Ann-- seeing as it is multi- trunked, could you ask the nursing home to take a cutting? Or see if it is like a Crepe Myrtle or ornamental pomegranate get an outer shoot with leaves and a little root? Just a thought! May joy fill your home!

It sure reminds me of the Christmas Senna (Senna bicapsularis) that I had at one time. Ours was killed one winter when we had a hard freeze and a lot of ice. I sure miss that tree!

Altheabyanothername said:Ann-- seeing as it is multi- trunked, could you ask the nursing home to take a cutting? Or see if it is like a Crepe Myrtle or ornamental pomegranate get an outer shoot with leaves and a little root? Just a thought! May joy fill your home!

No roots to be had. I know because I looked.
It's the wrong time of year for a cutting and I seriously doubt the nursing home staff has time to be taking cuttings for me.
I have it in mind that I can go back & take a cutting myself in spring OR right around that time, there should be nice ripe seed pods that I can collect. I'll grow it from seed.

I still would like to know for sure exactly which variety it is. It's driving me crazy!

plantladylin said:It sure reminds me of the Christmas Senna (Senna bicapsularis) that I had at one time. Ours was killed one winter when we had a hard freeze and a lot of ice. I sure miss that tree!

See that's the thing Lyn; I see these around here & they don't go totally dormant and they are surviving our cold which involves freezes each winter. I can't see how this could be S. Bicapsularis.

Hi! I do not exactly understand what varietal ID is. The cassia belongs to the Family Fabaceae.

Ann, plenty of people grow S. bicapsularis around here, and I agree that's what your plant looks like. We even grow it at MOSI, although we've been adding native Sennas, too. If you want a Senna, why not plant a variety that is native to your area?

Ann-- I am sorry for the confusion. I meant if you could get the nursing homes permission to take a cutting. Sometimes fall cuttings take. While I am doing yard clean up now, I start cuttings.
Their success rate is not as high as in spring, but some of them do take. I just hate to throw them away. If you like the plant habits, look and bloom, the best way to match is to get a piece of mama.
Many blessings for your home!

mellielong said:Ann, plenty of people grow S. bicapsularis around here, and I agree that's what your plant looks like. We even grow it at MOSI, although we've been adding native Sennas, too. If you want a Senna, why not plant a variety that is native to your area?

That's the problem Melanie, there don't seem to be any. At least not any that are taller than ground covers.

amalsaro said:Hi! I do not exactly understand what varietal ID is. The cassia belongs to the Family Fabaceae.

Varietal means the variety or cultivar.

Altheabyanothername said:Ann-- I am sorry for the confusion. I meant if you could get the nursing homes permission to take a cutting. Sometimes fall cuttings take. While I am doing yard clean up now, I start cuttings.
Their success rate is not as high as in spring, but some of them do take. I just hate to throw them away. If you like the plant habits, look and bloom, the best way to match is to get a piece of mama.
Many blessings for your home!

Ah, I see what you mean now. I have done that too, taken cuttings in the fall. We can do that, you & I being in the states we are in. Overall though, I have found I really do have much better success in the spring. There will be seeds then too so I'll double my odds of getting some going.

Ann, are you in Columbia County? The ISB Atlas of Vascular Plants shows S. marilandica (which gets pretty tall) and S. obtusifolia native to that county. Even the Senna ligustrina I grow looks like it's native to the county just below yours so you might be able to grow that.

@mellielong
Yes, Melanie, Columbia County. Thank you for finding that info. I did a Google for FL native senna & came up empty for my area. Didn't think to check the ISB Atlas. Thank you for thinking of it. I haven't been very much "on my game" lately.
A wonderful NGA member is sending me some seeds of Senna marilandica.

You're welcome! I actually saw Senna marilandica when I was up in WV this summer. I immediately recognized it as a Senna but the leaves were more pointy. That's great that you were able to find some seeds! My S. ligustrina self-seeds pretty well so I would think it should be easy to grow from seed. Now, get ready for those Sulphur caterpillars!

You know that's one of the 2 reasons I want it. It IS beautiful especially blooming at this time of year when everything else it pretty much blah AND it's a host plant for the sulphur cats.