Cassod Tree, Siamese senna tree
Senna siamea

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

An evergreen tree. It grows to 10 m high and spreads to 4 m across. It can be a small tree or grow up to 30 m high. The stem is erect and slender. The leaves are dark green and 30 cm long. They are divided into 4-14 pairs of leaflets each 3-7.5 cm long by 1.2-2.6 cm wide. The flowers are yellow and arranged in large sprays. These can be 45 cm long. They grow at the end of branches. The fruit are black pods 35 cm long by 1.2-1.6 cm wide and bulging over the seeds. The pods have thickened edges.

There are about 100 Cassia species. Also as Caesalpinaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It comes from SE tropical Asia and grows in Ethiopia and East Africa. It suits subhumid and arid zones in the tropics. It grows in the Sahel. It needs moist, well drained soils. In East Africa it grows from sea level to 1,600 m altitude. It grows in areas with a rainfall of 700-1500 mm annual average. It is drought and frost tender. It can grow in arid places. It suits hardiness zones 10-11. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Antigua and Barbuda, Asia, Australia, Barbados, Benin, Brunei, Cambodia, Central Africa, Chad, China, Congo DR, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Laos, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Marquesas, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Northeastern India, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Rotuma, Sahel, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia (country/location of origin), Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sri Lanka, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, USA, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, West Africa, West Indies, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The young flowers, fruits and leaves are eaten cooked. The leaves are eaten in Thailand after boiling for 1-2 hours and then discarding the water. They are bitter but are used in soups. The flowers are eaten in curries. CAUTION: The leaves and seeds are poisonous without treatment.

It is not known if they are used in Papua New Guinea.

Edible parts

Leaves, flowers, fruit, pods, vegetable, caution

How it is grown

The plants are grown from seed. The seed need to have the hard seed coat broken before planting. The plants can be cut back and will re-grow. They can be used as a hedge.

It has a fast growth rate.

Its other names

Local names

Ai-coxote, Angkanh, Boordi, Jaha, Jahor, Jeragor, Kasod tree, Kasood, Kassod, Keelek, Keshya wa milimo, Khee lek, Khi lek, Ki lak yai, Lin pakk kee lek, Maixili, Manje-konne, Muong den, Muong xiem, Phak khee lek, Pohon johar, Sebusok, Sia sunaru, Sima tangedu, Thailand shower

Synonyms

Cassia florida Vahl.; Cassia siamea Lam.; Sciassia siamea (Lam.) Britt.;