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.