The senna plant is a low shrub grown across the dry heat of Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu in India. Its leaves and seed pods contain compounds that act as a laxative. Both parts are harvested, dried and sold, and India supplies most of the world’s traded senna.
What the plant looks like
Senna is a small shrub, usually under a metre, with pale yellow flowers and thin oval leaflets arranged in pairs along a central stalk. After flowering it sets flat, papery seed pods that dry on the plant.
Unlike henna, which is a long lived shrub, senna is grown as a short cycle crop and replanted. It handles poor soil and very little rain, which is precisely why it suits the districts where it is grown.
Two parts are harvested and they are not interchangeable. Leaf is the volume item. Pods are generally stronger and are bought more often by extract manufacturers. Our comparison of senna leaves against senna pods covers the difference in detail.
Where senna grows in India
Two belts matter. Tamil Nadu, particularly the southern districts, is the older and more famous of the two. Rajasthan grows a large share of the modern crop under similar hot, dry conditions.
Senna from the Tamil Nadu belt is known in the trade as Tinnevelly senna, after the old name for the Tirunelveli district. That name is a benchmark rather than a decoration.
It matters because more than one species is sold as senna. Alexandrian senna, grown in Sudan and Egypt, is a different plant with a different profile. Two offers can look the same on paper and be different species, so it is worth asking which one you are being quoted.
The growing cycle
| Stage | Timing | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sowing | With the rains | Direct sown from seed |
| First leaf picking | Roughly 60 to 90 days | Leaf only, plant keeps growing |
| Later pickings | Every few weeks | Several cuts from one sowing |
| Pod harvest | After flowering | Pods left to dry on the plant |
| Drying | Days, in shade | Preserves colour and strength |
Leaf is picked repeatedly from the same planting rather than taken in one harvest. Early pickings are usually the better ones.
Green colour in the dried leaf is the visible marker buyers look for. Leaf that has yellowed or browned has usually been dried badly, held too long, or exposed to sun, and it tends to test lower.
What the plant is used for
Senna is one of the oldest cleansing herbs in Ayurvedic practice and remains one of the most widely used laxative plants in the world.
Commercially it goes three ways. Herbal tea brands buy leaf by the tonne, since senna is the base of most detox and slimming teas. Pharmaceutical manufacturers buy it for laxative preparations, which is why pharmacopoeia grades exist for it. Extract makers buy pods and leaf to concentrate.
There is a smaller traditional use on skin and scalp, for acne and dandruff, though this is a minor share of trade.
How it reaches the buyer
After picking, leaf is shade dried, then cleaned of stalk, sand and field debris. From there it is graded and sold whole, cut to a specified size, or milled to powder.
Whole leaf is bought where appearance matters. Cut grades go to tea packers, where the cut size has to suit the bag or the infuser. Powder goes to capsule makers and formulators. Pods follow the same path and are sold whole or broken.
Cleaning is where a lot of the quality difference sits. Senna grows in dusty country and stalk carries much less of the active compound than leaf, so a poorly cleaned lot is diluted before it ever reaches the mill.
What buyers check
Strength is confirmed per lot by laboratory testing rather than claimed in general terms, and it is the figure the order is really priced on.
Beyond that: moisture, because it drives shelf life and mould risk. Foreign matter, meaning stalk and grit. Species confirmation, for the Tinnevelly point above. And heavy metals, pesticide residue and microbial limits set to the destination market.
Pharmaceutical buyers additionally need material meeting recognised pharmacopoeia standards, with the documentation to match.
Sourcing senna from the growing belt
We are a senna leaves manufacturer and exporter shipping Tinnevelly senna in whole leaf, fine cut, coarse cut and powder, with senna pods whole or broken.
Minimum order is 100 kg. Material meets recognised pharmacopoeia standards, with GMP, FSSAI, APEDA and Halal certification and a Certificate of Analysis on every lot. Free sample before you order, quote back within 24 hours, shipped from Mundra. Our regular destinations are the US, Germany, China, the UK, France, Australia, Japan and Canada.
Specifications, for buyers who order to a number
Order on strength, cut size and moisture, with foreign matter, heavy metals, pesticide residue and microbial limits set to your destination market. Pharmacopoeia grade is available where your registration requires it. All figures are confirmed on the Certificate of Analysis for your lot. Tell us the application and we will confirm the grade against it before you order.
Frequently asked questions
What is the senna plant?
A low shrub grown in hot, dry parts of India. Its leaves and seed pods contain compounds used as a laxative, and both parts are harvested, dried and traded.
Where does the senna plant grow?
Mainly Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan in India, which supplies most of the world’s traded senna. A different species is grown in Sudan and Egypt and sold as Alexandrian senna.
What is Tinnevelly senna?
Senna from the Tirunelveli belt in Tamil Nadu, and the benchmark the trade prices against. It is a different species from Alexandrian senna, so it is worth confirming which you are quoted.
Are senna leaves and pods the same?
No. Both come from the same plant but pods are generally stronger, which is why extract manufacturers often prefer them. Leaf is the higher volume item and the usual choice for tea.
Do you supply senna in bulk?
Yes, from 100 kg minimum, as whole leaf, fine cut, coarse cut, powder, and pods whole or broken. Certificate of Analysis per lot, free sample, quote within 24 hours.
Specs change with the crop, the season and the grade. Ask our export desk for a current lab report, the minimum order and a price to your port, and we will come back within 24 hours.