What is the henna plant, and how is it used in Morocco?

Henna comes from a real plant — Lawsonia inermis, a hardy flowering shrub grown in Morocco's warm south, around oasis regions like the Tafilalet. Its leaves are dried and ground into a fine green powder, then mixed with water (and often lemon and a little sugar) into a paste. The dye molecule in the leaves, lawsone, binds to skin, hair and nails, leaving a stain that ranges from orange to a deep brick red-brown as it develops over a day or two.

In Moroccan culture henna is woven into celebration, above all weddings. A few nights before the wedding comes the 'henna night,' when the bride's hands and feet are painted with intricate flowing patterns — symbols of joy, fertility, beauty and protection from the evil eye. I've watched these evenings unfold and they're full of music, laughter and women across generations gathered together; the henna is as much about blessing the bride as adorning her.

Beyond weddings, henna is everyday too: women use it to condition and tint their hair a glossy auburn, and it appears at births, religious festivals and to mark special occasions. In the souks of Marrakech and Fes you'll find henna artists ready to decorate visitors' hands, and it can be a lovely keepsake. Designs differ by region — geometric Amazigh motifs in the south, more floral, sweeping patterns in the cities.

One firm piece of advice I give every guest: insist on natural henna only, and refuse anything sold as 'black henna.' Real henna is brown-red and harmless; so-called black henna is adulterated with a chemical (PPD) that can cause severe burns and scarring. With a reputable artist using pure, fresh paste, a henna design is a beautiful, safe and meaningful way to connect with a living Moroccan tradition.