American Senna Plant Care

American Senna (Senna hebecarpa) belongs to the Fabaceae family within the Senna genus. American Senna is native to eastern North America. American Senna is also known as Wild Senna, Bladder Senna, Cassia hebecarpa.

American Senna displays an upright, spreading shrub growth habit, reaching up to 5 ft tall with a spread of approximately 5 ft. American Senna produces bright yellow, pea-like flowers in clusters.

Leaf size: approximately 4 inches.

Water a young or newly planted American Senna every 7–10 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established trees mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

American Senna thrives in full sun to partial shade.

Senna hebecarpa tolerates temperatures of 60–85°F. American Senna prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.

Well-draining sandy loam with added organic matter. Good drainage is essential for American Senna to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed American Senna every 6 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established trees in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun to partial shade and well-draining sandy loam with added organic matter. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

American Senna is suited to USDA Zone 13a.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped trees in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

American Senna can spread to about 5 ft (1.5 m) and reach about 5 ft (2 m) tall. Space plants about 5 ft (1.5 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the tree spacing calculator.

Prune American Senna while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the tree in one year.

American Senna is frost-tender (hardy to USDA zone 13). In colder areas grow it in a container and move it to a bright, frost-free place before the first frost.

American Senna can be propagated through seeds, softwood cuttings.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

American Senna is susceptible to aphids, caterpillars, spider mites. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

American Senna grows outdoors in USDA Zone 13a. It survives winters down to planting zone 13a. American Senna is native to eastern North America. In cooler regions, grow American Senna as a houseplant or bring it indoors before the first frost.