Ornatec InternationalSpecies reference sheet ยท ornatecinternational.com
Senna alata
Candle Bush
The flowers of the Senna alata stand straight up out of the bush like lit candles, each spike a column of bright yellow with the unopened buds still sheathed in orange bracts above them. Candle Bush is a fast, short-lived tropical American shrub with large pinnate leaves that fold shut at nightfall.
Because it reaches flowering size within a year, it is used to put quick colour and screening into new planting while slower shrubs establish behind it.
Specifications
- Height2 to 4 metres, reaching 5 metres in the wet tropics
- Width2 to 3 metres
- Native toTropical America, from Mexico through Central and South America
- FoliageLarge pinnate leaves with paired oblong leaflets that fold shut at night; evergreen in frost-free conditions
- Growth rateFast
Conditions
- SoilPrefers free-draining soils and tolerates poor and periodically wet ground
- LightFull sun
- WaterModerate; regular through the warm months
- ClimateThrives in tropical and humid subtropical regions
Additional Features
- FlowersUpright candle-like spikes of bright yellow flowers with orange-sheathed buds, mainly autumn and winter
- UsesIdeal for fast informal screening, boundary and rehabilitation planting, and seasonal colour in large borders
- SpacingPlant 2 to 3 metres apart for a screen
- Low MaintenancePrune hard after flowering; the plant is short-lived and will need replacing after five to ten years
- Pest ResistanceGenerally sound, with caterpillar damage the usual concern
- Wildlife AttractionThe flowers are heavily worked by bees and butterflies
- Seasonal AppealFlowers when the days shorten, giving colour late in the year
Candle Bush buys a new scheme two or three seasons of colour and cover while the permanent planting catches up.
Availability by project review. Sizes, quantities, origin and export readiness are confirmed after your plant schedule is reviewed against destination, timing and quarantine requirements. MEWA certified for supply into Saudi Arabia; Australian Export Registered Establishment.
Enquiries: sales@ornatecinternational.com
310 Donkin Rd, Utchee Creek QLD 4871, Australia
Prepared 09 September 2026