Lakeshore Garden Centres Plant Finder

Other Names:  Easter Senna, Climbing Cassia, Valamuerto

Description:

A large shrub or small tree with small oval, dark green compound leaves; gracefully arching branches are covered with clusters of yellow flowers in spring, then sporadically all year; prune to shape as a small accent tree, and to maintain density

Ornamental Features

Easter Cassia features showy corymbs of yellow buttercup flowers at the ends of the branches from early spring to mid fall. Its attractive small oval compound leaves remain dark green in colour throughout the year. The fruits are showy brown pods displayed from mid summer to early winter.

Landscape Attributes

Easter Cassia is a multi-stemmed evergreen perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It is a good choice for attracting birds, bees and butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Invasive

Easter Cassia is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Easter Cassia will grow to be about 15 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 15 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 2 feet from the ground. Although it is technically a woody plant, this fast-growing plant can be expected to behave as a perennial in our climate if planted outdoors over the winter, usually regrowing from its base (crown) the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist locations, and should do just fine under typical garden conditions. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in sandy soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. This species is not originally from North America, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets.

This plant is not reliably hardy in our region, and certain restrictions may apply; contact the store for more information.