Lawsonia inermis, also known as hina, the henna tree, the mignonette tree, and the Egyptian privet,
Description
Henna is a tall
shrub or small tree, standing . It is glabrous and multi-branched, with spine-tipped branchlets. The leaves grow opposite each other on the stem. They are glabrous, sub-sessile, elliptical, and
Leaf shape (long and wider in the middle; average dimensions are 1.5–5.0 cm x 0.5–2 cm or .6–2 in x 0.2–0.8 in),
acuminate (tapering to a long point), and have depressed veins on the dorsal surface. Henna flowers have four
and a calyx tube, with spread lobes. Its petals are ovate, with white or red
stamens found in pairs on the rim of the calyx tube. The
ovary is four-celled, long, and erect. Henna fruits are small, brownish capsules, in diameter, with 32–49 seeds per fruit, and open irregularly into four splits.
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Distribution and habitat
The henna plant is native to northern and eastern
Africa,
Asia and northern
Australia, in semi-arid zones and tropical areas.
Cultivation
It produces the most dye when grown in temperatures between .
During the onset of precipitation intervals, the plant grows rapidly, putting out new shoots. Growth subsequently slows. The leaves gradually yellow and fall during prolonged dry or cool intervals. It does not thrive where minimum temperatures are below . Temperatures below will kill the henna plant.
Dye
Its dried leaves are the source of the
dye henna used to dye skin, hair and fingernails, as well as fabrics including
silk,
wool and
leather. To make dye, only the leaves that grow in the lower part of the plant are taken, otherwise their coloring capacity will be too great.
Said leaves also have antifungal and antiseptic properties.
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