Partridge pea is a showy annual legume native to North American woodlands, prairies, and grasslands that transforms open spaces with cheerful golden flowers from June through September. Growing 1 to 3 feet tall depending on conditions, this hardy wildflower thrives in zones 3-9 and requires virtually no fuss once established. Its delicate, sensitive foliage earned it the nickname 'sleeping plant,' while its tendency to self-seed prolifically makes it excellent for naturalizing areas where conventional ornamentals struggle.
Full Sun
Moderate
3-9
36in H x 36in W
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Low
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This is a legume that actually feeds your soil while feeding pollinators and birds. The bright yellow flowers bloom prolifically over four months, attracting butterflies and serving songbirds with seed pods they crave. It grows contentedly in poor, dry soils where other plants fail, spreads itself generously through self-seeding, and asks for almost nothing in return except full sun and decent drainage.
Partridge pea serves primarily as an ornamental wildflower and ecological asset in native plant gardens and prairie restorations. As a legume, it naturally enriches soil by fixing nitrogen, making it valuable for naturalizing degraded areas and supporting pollinator populations. While technically edible as a member of the legume family, it is not cultivated for food; instead, its seeds provide crucial forage for birds and small wildlife.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Direct sow seeds in late March through May for best results. Partridge pea germinates readily from seed sown directly into prepared soil.
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“Partridge pea has no recorded human breeding history because it never needed one. This is a true wildflower, native to diverse North American habitats from rocky woodlands to prairie grasslands. Its many common names, prairie senna, golden cassia, large-flowered sensitive pea, locust weed, reflect its wide range and the varied communities who observed its behavior across centuries. The plant's sensitive foliage, which closes in response to touch or darkness, earned it the poetic name 'sleeping plant' among gardeners who delighted in its responsive nature.”