Henna, Tree mignonette
Lawsonia inermis

Family: Lythraceae

What it is like

A shrub. It has a sweet smell. It grows 3-7 m tall. The bark is greyish-brown. The small branches have spines near their tip. The leaves are simple and opposite. The leaves vary and can be oval and 8-44 mm long by 2-20 mm wide. The flower panicles are 3-22 cm long. They are near the ends of branches. The flowers are white or red and have a scent. The fruit is a small round capsule. It is brown and splits into 4 sections. The seeds are angular and 3 mm across.

Unknown if edible. It is used in medicine. There is only one Lawsonia species.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in the Sahel area in West Africa. It can grow in arid places. It tends to grow near water courses in semi-arid regions. At MARDI.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, Bahamas, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central Africa, Central Asia, China, Comoros, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Egypt (country/location of origin), Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Laos, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mediterranean, Middle East, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, North Africa, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Puerto Rico, Sahel, Saudi Arabia, SE Asia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, West Africa, West Indies

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Food colouring, leaves - flavouring, medicine, caution

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds or cuttings.

Its other names

Local names

Alcana, Alfeneiro, Camphire, Cilaan, Dan, Heenaa, Kuku pacar, Mendhi, Perdu mendi

Synonyms

Lawsonia alba Lam.; Lawsonia spinosa Linn.;