Glasshouse plants

Senna corymbosa

This shrubby plant originates from Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay. It can be grown outside in frost-free gardens, but is usually best suited for indoor cultivation. A member of the pea family, it will flower for long periods in a conservatory. It is a decorative evergreen with masses of long-stalked axillary and terminal corymbs of yellow flowers, which in comparison to some of the other Senna, are on the small side.

The bush is well rounded and could reach to 3m (10ft) tall and about half as much in width. The foliage is a fresh green colour and both attractive and ornamental in its own right, which means the plant looks good even when not in flower.

It is also known as Cassia corymbosa and can even be listed as C. floribunda in many catalogues.

Senna corymbosa grows best in a well-drained, but moisture-retentive loamy soil. Sennas are not demanding as to soil conditions, but it is wise to avoid growing them in extremes of pH; they are happy in soils that are slightly acid or slightly alkaline.

Plants can be pruned after they finish flowering.

Propagation is mostly by seed, which is easy to obtain. Sow in boxes or pots, under glass, and pot on when the seedlings are quite small. It is also possible to take semi-ripe cuttings in August, but the percentage of success is only moderate.

Ashley Stephenson

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