Thirteen Things about Candle Bushes- Small subtropical bush, usually only to 4-6ft, but can grow to 10ft.
- Blooms pretty much the whole year, yellow flowers are followed by brown pod fruit.
- Flowers attract butterflies.
- Hardy to the 20's (F).
- Grows well in full sun.
- Not picky about soil type. (We can vouch for that)
- Propagation: By seeds
- The exact nativity of the candlestick is in question—some references state the plant as a pantropical, others give its homeland as Mexico or Argentina. Linnaeus had a specimen he named Cassia alata in 1753 and gave its origin as "America calidiore", or Latin-speak for "some warm climate in America". (W3TROPICOS, J. Solomon, Missouri Botanical Garden) Certainly, the candlestick was present in India by the late 18th century.
- It is also know as Candelabra Bush, Christmas Candle & Emperor's Candlesticks.
- It's real name is Senna alata.
- The large leaves are bilateral - symetrical opposed and fold together at night.
- The fruit is a pod, while the seeds are small and square.
- It is a host plant to many species of sulphur caterpillars, included the orange barred sulphure.
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5 comments:
Huh...we thought candles were man made. We had no idea that they grow on bushes. You learn something new efurryday.
-Stryder, Scotchy & Sugar
We have "burning bushes" in front of our house but they are pretty puny compared to that!!
I think it is too cold here to grow candles.
purrs Goldie and Shade
We were very surprised by our candle bushes we grew them from seeds and we had no idea what they would look like. ~S,S & C
My bean girl would love those bushes so she can watch butterflies.
~ Molly ~
Molly, we wished we could send you one. ~S,S & C
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