FREE: Cassia alatta (4 seeds)

The listing, Cassia alatta (4 seeds) has ended.

The attractive shrub is named for its flower buds which grow in a column and look like fat yellow candles each complete with a flame! The leaves fold together at night. It was introduced to other tropical areas from the Americas and is now widely considered a weed.It is the food plant of some butterflies. The plant recruits ant bodyguards against these caterpillars. It has "extrafloral nectaries" near the base of the leaves, that produce sweet nectar to attract ants. As a short-lived plant that grows commonly in wastelands which are damp and on flood plains, it helps to colonise these areas and pave the way for regeneration of growth.
Leaves or sap are used to treat fungal infections such as ringworm. They contain a fungicide, chrysophanic acid. Because of its anti-fungal properties, it is a common ingredient in soaps, shampoos and lotions in the Philippines. The effectiveness of this plant against skin diseases is confirmed by modern scientific studies.
usda growing zone 8 - 11