L. inermis is widely distributed throughout the Sahel and into Central Africa; it also occurs in the Middle East. It grows mainly along water courses and in semi-arid regions and is adapted to a wide range of conditions. Naturalized plants are often found in temporarily flooded river beds and riverine thickets, but also on hillsides and in rock crevices, at elevations up to 1,350 metres. It can withstand low air humidity and drought. Henna requires high temperatures for germination, growth and development. In Kampala, this tree can be found in Upper Mawanda village.

Henna is a heavily-scented, much-branched, slender, evergreen shrub or small tree; it usually grows up to 6 metres tall, though specimens up to 12 metres have been recorded.The stems and older branches can be spiny.

BARK: greyish-brown, unarmed when young, older plants with spine-tipped branchlets. Young branches quadrangular green but turn red with age.

LEAVES: opposite, entire, subsessile, elliptic to broadly lanceolate, 1.5-5 x 0.5-2 cm, glabrous, acuminate; veins on the upper surface depressed.

FLOWERS: small, white, numerous; in large pyramidal terminal cymes, fragrant, 1 cm across, 4 petals crumpled in the bud. Calyx with 2-mm tube and 3-mm spread lobes; petals orbicular to obovate, white or red; stamens 8, inserted in pairs on the rim of the calyx tube; ovary 4 celled, style up to 5 mm long, erect.

FRUITS: small, brown, globose capsules 4-8 mm in diameter, many-seeded, opening irregularly, split into 4 sections, with a persistent style. Seeds are 3 mm across, angular, with thick seed coat.

Medicine: leaves, the bark, http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php id=Lawsonia+inermis

Agroforestry: can be used as a hedge and grown as a live fence, can be planted as a windbreak, leaves are browsed by livestock, used in soil conservation.

The crushed leaves are used to prepare a very fast reddish or yellowish dye used for dyeing cloth, beards and hair, and as a cosmetic for staining finger and toe nails, palms of the hands and the soles of the feet.

An essential oil obtained from the flowers is used in perfumery. The fragrant flowers are macerated, and then infused in oil to impart their fine scent for use as a perfume.

The fibres of the branches and the stem bark are used to make baskets.

The small twigs are used as toothbrushes.

The seeds contain about 10% of non-drying, viscous oil, composed mainly of oleic, linoleic and stearic acids but are sometimes used locally for purposes such as anointing the body.

The wood is used for making small objects such as tent pegs and tool handles.

The wood is used for fuel.

Can be planted as an ornamental tree.