Senna reticulata aka Carrion Crow Bush

Senna reticulata is a large shrub that can become a tree. It belongs to Fabaceae, the pea and bean family. Its native range starts in southern Mexico. It extends through the tropics of South America and includes Trinidad. The name Cassia reticulata is a synonym. People grow it for its looks. They also gather wild plants for use as medicine.

The plant has a rounded crown and a short trunk. Useful Tropical Plants gives a height near 20 feet [6 metres]. Its wider account lists extremes of 7–49 feet [2–15 metres]. It gives no separate height range for plants in gardens. Short prop roots often help hold up the trunk. The trunk is about 0.1–0.3 feet [0.03–0.1 metres] across. Bright yellow petals stand out against orange sepals and bracts. This mix of colours helps explain its use near homes. It bears seedpods, but the account says little about them. Bees, butterflies and other insects visit and pollinate the flowers.

This plant grows on low land, beside rivers and streams. It also grows in open ground and marshes. Kew places it in the wet tropical biome. Other records span places with dry to very damp climates. It can form thick stands beside streams and lakes. Some plants have roots in shallow water. These records show a strong link with wet ground. They give no clear plan for when to water garden plants. Reports say it lacks bacteria that fix nitrogen. This sets it apart from many plants in its family. Gardeners should not assume it adds nitrogen to soil.

It may serve as a pioneer, helping restore native woodland. Its flowers also make it useful as a garden shrub. Seeds have a hard coat that can delay sprouting. Scarring the coat and soaking may help water get in. The source describes brief hot-water treatment, then a warm-water soak. Seeds that stay hard may need a careful nick. Small ants often live on branches and flower clusters. Their bites can hurt, so take care when handling plants.

The source lists no known food use for this species. People use leaf and flower washes for skin complaints. These include eczema and other rashes. They also use leaves for fever, ringworm and pneumonia. Reports list leaf uses to help pass stools. People use flowers to cause vomiting or loosen the bowels. They use seedpods to purge the bowels. Boiled roots have uses linked to fever. These records describe folk treatments, not proof of safe treatment. The evidence does not establish a class for its toxicity.