Winter cassia info.
Senna bicapsularis, Cassia bicapsularis, S. pendula Fabaceae.
Winter Cassia, Christmas Senna, Butterfly Bush
THESE SEEDS ARE BEING SOLD @ $4 PER 10 SEEDS.ADD $4 P/P TO ORDER
Few plants can bring color to the fall garden like the Winter Cassia! Clusters of butterfly-like bright yellow 1″ blooms are borne in Autumn & winter on this large arching tree-like shrub or root hardy perennial.
The Winter Cassia may freeze to the ground in the northern portions of its range but it is quick to return in spring. A host plant to Sulphur butterflies and nectar source for a variety of pollinators.
Uses
The Nahuas of San Luis Potosi resort to this plant for the healing of the enchantment. For this reason, the patient is cleaned with seven leaves of its leaves, passing them throughout the body. Likewise, as part of this treatment, while the healer prays, he perfumes the patient’s body with a charcoal, rosemary and copal incense and then cleanses it with an egg to remove the “bad air” that has taken possession of his body.
The leaves are edible and are used to cure erysipelas in Morelos, and as an antiseptic in Oaxaca. The sap from emaciated leaves can be used externally, with salt, to heal rashes, sores, bites, stings, eczema, scabies, ringworm and thrush. In the 20th century, Maximino Martínez points out the following uses: cathartic and to counteract the effects of arthropod stings.
The seedpod flavour resembles tamarind. The leaves can be cooked as a vegetable, which can be mixed with other leaves, beans or peas.
Senna bicapsularis is a species of the legume genus Senna, native to northern South America, from Panama south to Venezuela and Colombia, and also the West Indies.[1] Common names include rambling senna (formerly “cassia”), winter cassia, Christmas bush, money bush, and yellow candlewood.
Winter Cassia has the potential to reseed and may be considered invasive in some areas. Deadhead to prevent reseeding. Be sure to consult your state and local agriculture offices before planting.
Sometimes called the Butterfly Bush or Christmas Senna, this durable plant is considered to be somewhat drought tolerant once well-established and is deer resistant.
In the milder portions of its growing range the Winter Cassia may remain semi-evergreen. Where temperatures drop below freezing it is more likely to be deciduous. For a very nice article on Winter Cassia from the MSU Cares Extension by Dr. Gary Bachman click here
Grows To: 8-12’H x 8-12’W
Any questions or if buying, contact me HERE
Henry
