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Beautiful foliage of the butterfly attractant Senna alata or Candlebush Guajava or
Candlestick or
Candelabra or Candle Bush or Candle Plant or Candle Tree or
Empress Candle Plant or Ringworm Tree
shrub |
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Senna alata
(Candlebush Guajava, Candlestick,
Candelabra, Candle Bush, Candle Plant, Candle Tree, Empress
Candle Plant, Ringworm Tree)
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Synonyms: Cassia alata, Cassia bracteata, Cassia
herpetica, Herpetica alata
Origin: Native to Amazon rain forest
Family: Caesalpiniaceae
Light: Full sun
Height: Up to 30'
Spread: 6-15'
Blooms: Bright yellow, in a column, like a candle-stick
Foliage: Evergreen, up to 20 leaflets on compound leaves
Soil: Well-drained, drought tolerant
Propagation: Seeds, hardwood cuttings, rootball divitions
Caution: Aphids, spider mites
Uses: Ornamental, landscaping , xeriscaping
Comments: Senna alata or Candlebush Guajava or Candlestick or
Candelabra or Candle Bush or Candle Plant or Candle Tree or
Empress Candle Plant or Ringworm Tree
is a
beautiful tropical shrub with erect spike of glowy yellow flowers
which really brightens up the landscape. It is a butterfly
attractant and is a host plant for the Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis
sennae) caterpillars; among them include the Large Orange Sulphur
(Phoebis agarithe, Little Sulphur (Eurema lisa), Orange-barred Sulphur
(Phoebis philea) and Sleepy Orange (Eurema nicippe) butterflies. Candlebush
Guajava cannot tolerate frost. I
cut my plant back to the ground in winter. When Spring comes
around, it sprouts right back with new growth. Candlebush Guajava plant is a self-seeder so
remove seedpods to prevent volunteer plants next season. It is a useful plant as
it contains herbal properties to cure certain ailments.
USDA Hardiness Zones : 8b-11 |
