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Lawsonia inermis

Authority	L.
Family	Magnoliopsida:Rosidae:Myrtales:Lythraceae
Synonyms
Common names	henna
Editor
Ecocrop code	1334

Notes
BRIEF DESCRIPTION A much-branched, slender, glabrous shrub or small tree reaching 2-6 m in height with greyish-brown bark, entire, 1.5-5 cm long and 2 cm broad leaves and white or red flowers with a pleasant fragrance. The fruits are globolar, about 0.5 cm in diameter. USES A reddish-orange dye is obtained from the leaves and used for dying leather, silk, cotton, wool, hair, skin, teeth, fingernails, etc, and used in hair shampoos, dyers, conditioners and rinses. An essential oil is extracted from the flowers and used in perfumery. Leaves, bark, roots and seed have medicinal properties. The wood is hard and can be used for making small objects. It is often grown as an ornamental hedge plant. GROWING PERIOD Perennial. Plants produce their best yields during the first 4-8 years after planting, but are often left in the field for 12-15 or even 40 years. Under intensive cultivation the plants are usually harvested twice a year from the second year onwards. COMMON NAMES Henna, Henne, Cypress shrub, Alhena, Egyptian privet, Camphire, Alkanna, Inai, Pacar kuku, Pacar kuku, Hinna, Cinamomo, Dan, Krapeen, Kaaw, Thian khaao, Thian daeng, Thian king, La mon, Nhuom mong tay, Enah, Jabi, Lalle, Uhie inine, Mhina, Laali. FURTHER INF Scientific synonym: L. spinosa, L. alba. Henna is probably native of the region from Iran to north-western India. It tolerates low air humidity and drought well. Ideal conditions for rain-fed cultivation are well-distributed rainfall, with two dry periods a year in order to facilitate post-harvest leaf drying. Henna removes large quantities of nutrients form the soil. A yield of 1000 kg dry leaves removes 180-190 kg N, 100-150 kg K2O and 10-30 kg P2O5 from the field. Under irrigation yields of dry leaves may be 2-4 t/ha, while under rainfed conditions in northern India yields of 700-1500 kg/ha are obtained. (GMIN estimated by the compiler).
Sources
SOURCES (L. inermis L.) Lemmens R 1991 pp 83-86 [USE, TEMP, TEXT, DRA, FER] Duke J 1975 pp 19 [PH, RAIN, TEMP] Roecklein J 1987 pp 366 [USE, TEMP, RAIN] Rehm S 1991 pp 389 [USE] Iwu M 1993 pp 197-198 [USE] Green C 1995 pp 19-25 [USE, KTMP, TEXT, FER, DRA]