Candle bush (Senna alata or Acacia alata)

Tree # 102 Candle bush

In July my wife Susan and I moved to midtown to Tutwiler Ave. a few blocks west of Snowden School. Late in the year we went on a walk to Jackson Ave. and turned East toward Rhodes College. This led us past a surprising find, not seen before or since in Memphis. The plant is a candle bush. The native home for this legume is Mexico.

Large pinnate leaves wet after a rain, also called a candelabra bush for reasons you can see.

 The genus Senna is very close to my daughter's name Sienna, a happy coincidence.

A little closer view Dec. 8, 2015

Spikes of yellow flowers (racemes), surprising in early December.

The flowers seem to be opening still with many more blooms to come. Odd since this looks like a tropical plant, but it is in Memphis, just northwest of Jackson and Barksdale.

Some views of the foliage

 This is a medicinal plant also called ringworm bush because it has anti-fungal properties and has been used to treat ringworm. Another member of this genus Senna quinquangulata was an early source of the compound resveratrol. This is now well known as a component of red wine that got an early reputation as an anti-ageing drug, but sadly this has no credible support. For a short while it was a great excuse for drinking red wine.

Reaching up to the light. Note these are not leaves on the stem, but seedpods.

I went back to find the plant again in June 2016 but I could not find it. I am wondering if it died or was replaced.