Common Name: Candelabra Tree

General Information

Candelabra tree is usually a multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub or a small tree growing from 0.5 - 5 metres tall with occasional specimens up to 9 metres[].
A widely used medicinal plant in its native range, where it is gathered from the wild for local use[]. The plant has been introduced into Tropical Asia and America as a green manure, shade tree and cover crop, where it has become sporadically naturalized in frost-free regions, including Malesia[, ]. It is now also popular as an ornamental plant owing to its bright yellow flowers and black-green bracts[].

Known Hazards

Senna didymobotrya, like other Senna species, is poisonous[]. Decoctions from all plant parts can cause violent vomiting and diarrhoea and may be fatal[]. It is recommended that pregnant women and children take a small dose[].
The plant is widely used in Africa as a stupefacient poison for fishing[].

Botanical References

Range

Tropical Africa - Ethiopia to Sudan, south through eastern Africa to Tanzania, west to Angola.

Habitat

Often ruderal in riparian montane wooded grassland or evergreen bushland[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	3.50 m
Pollinators	Insects
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in tropical and sub-tropical regions, where it is found at elevations from sea level to 2,500 metres[, ].

The plant has escaped from cultivation in some areas and shows signs of being invasive[].
The plant flowers profusely twice a year[].
When planted as a small shade tree in tea plantations, it is spaced at about 5 x 5 metres[].
The plant yields a fairly large amount of material for green manuring. About 5 tonnes of green material provides 35.5 kg nitrogen[].
There are conflicting reports on whether or not this tree has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, so it is unclear as to whether this tree fixes atmospheric nitrogen[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

A popular medicinal plant within its native range, especially in East Africa[]. Some care, however, needs to be exercised when using this plant since in larger doses it is toxic[].
A number of active compounds have been isolated from the plant. In particular, the leaves and pods have been shown to contain a number of anthraquinone derivatives, tannins and flavonoids[].
The anthraquinone derivatives are little resorbed in the small intestine but once in the colon, they are hydrolyzed by the bacterial flora and the anthraquinones formed are reduced to form the active anthrones, which are responsible for the laxative activity as they stimulate peristalsis[]. Anthraquinones such as emodin also inhibit ion transport across colon cells, contributing to the laxative effect[]. They also exhibit other biological effects including diuresis, vasorelaxation, and induction of muscular contractions, antioxidant properties as well as antibacterial and antifungal activities[].
The bioactivity of the plant against malaria is low, although it is fever-suppressing[].

The leaves, stems and roots are laxative and purgative, whilst in large does they are emetic[].
A decoction or infusion is drunk as a treatment for abdominal pains, to expel intestinal worms and to treat ringworm[]. The concoction may make the patient weak and if this happens the patient should drink milk. When treating children, the young leaves are cooked in banana leaves and given orally[].
The powder of the root or leaf mixed in water, or a decoction of the fresh parts, is taken to treat abscesses of the skeletal muscles and venereal diseases[]. The plant is also indicated for the treatment of fungal and bacterial infections, hypertension, haemorrhoids, sickle cell anaemia, and a range of women’s diseases, such as inflammation of the fallopian tubes, fibroids and backache, to stimulate lactation, and to induce uterine contractions and abortion[].
A decoction made from the leaves, either alone or in mixtures, is used to treat external parasites such as ticks. The leaves and young stems are pounded to a pulp and applied to the skin to treat skin diseases.

A decoction of the root is drunk for the treatment of malaria, other fevers and jaundice[]. It is also used as an antidote for poisoning, to expel a retained placenta, and to treat East Coast fever and blackleg[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree has been used to provide shade in tea plantations[].
It has been introduced as a green manure and cover crop various parts of the tropics[]. The plants can be lopped several times per year to provide green manure[]. Lopping is preferably done when the plants are in flower, when the nutrient content in the leaves is high[].
Growing plants stimulate the germination of any seeds of the parasitic plant witchweed (Striga spp) that might be in the soil[]. It is not a host species for witchweed, however, so the witchweed soon dies[]. Thus, when incorporated into the rotation, it can effectively decrease the infestation[].

Other Uses

The ash of burnt twigs is used to coat the inside of gourds that are to be used for storing milk, as it is said to improve digestibility and palatability[]. The milk can be kept in them for over a year[].
The hot ashes are used to clean beer vessels[].

The plant contains tannins. The flowers, bark, leaves and pods can all be used as a dye for fibres and give a wide range of colours (yellow, orange, red)[].

The leaves are used to ripen bananas by wrapping them around the bunch[].

The wood is used for making handicrafts, and is also used as firewood[].

Propagation

Seed - requires pre-treatment to soften the hard seedcoat and allow the ingress of water[]. This can be done by soaking the seed in a small amount of nearly boiling water (which cools down quickly and does not cook the seed) and then soaking the seed for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. Alternatively, a small area of the seed coat can be abraded, being careful not to damage the embryo[]. The seed usually germinates readily - experiments with treated seed gave 75 - 85% germination rate, whilst in the same period only 15 - 20% of untreated seeds germinated[]. The seeds can germinate both in light and dark conditions and over a wide range of temperatures; however, the optimum germination temperature is 20 - 25°c and the germination rate is very low at 10°c[].
The seed may be sown in the nursery or directly in the field[].
Cuttings are said not to be successful[].

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