Henna (Lawsonia inermis)

Henna is a shrub or small, evergreen tree, native to the tropical and semi-tropical zones of northern Australia, Asia, and northern Africa. The dried, powdered leaves have been a source of skin, hair, and fabric dye since ancient times, and the showy, highly fragrant flowers are used in perfumes.  It can be grown in the garden as an ornamental, as a hedge, in containers, or as a houseplant.

Henna has been used as a red to reddish-brown dye for body art in northern Africa, India, and the Middle East for millennia to decorate the hands, faces, feet, and fingernails of women for weddings, holidays, and special celebrations. The dry, powdered leaves are mixed with a carrier and painted on by relatives or by skilled, henna professionals, and the powder is also used by both men and women as a hair dye. The fragrant white or red flowers are used in perfumes, and extracts of the leaves, flowers, and fruits have antibacterial and antifungal properties as well. Young, tender leaves produce the most dye, so they are generally harvested in the spring in the United States.

The tree will grow well in a variety of medium-dry to dry soils in full sun and warm temperatures. Henna can easily be grown in the garden, but needs to be located in a spot with minimal foot traffic because the branches are armed with sharp thorns. In addition to a garden tree, it can be used as a container plant or privacy hedge because of its attractive, elliptical leaves, showy, fragrant flowers, and compact growth. Henna is hardy in USDA zones 9+.