Henna Leaves (برگ حنا)

The word “henna” is understood by people around the world in many different ways. The majority of people probably associate henna with the dark-red/brown dye for hair and skin that is traditionally used in Eastern cultures, but the name also applies to the flowering plant from which that dye is derived. As the sole species in the Lawsonia genus, henna has many different names across the globe, including hina and Egyptian privet, but they are all describing the same remarkable plant, which has the scientific name Lawsonia Inermis. You can identify a henna plant by its small white or pink flowers, as well as the small fruit it bears. Henna can be used in a wide variety of ways, including its dye form, as well as in aqueous extracts, tinctures, and salves, composed of the bark, seeds, or leaves. This versatility makes henna a very valuable element in traditional medicines, particularly Ayurvedic practice.