Partridge pea
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Chamaecrista fasciculata
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Fabaceae
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Landscape Uses:
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Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also wildflower and butterfly gardens. |
Ecological Restoration Notes: |
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An occasional understory herb in pinelands and coastal uplands. |
Availability: |
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Grown by one or two native plant nurseries in South Florida. |
Description: |
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Medium annual herbaceous wildflower. |
Height: |
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Typically 1-3 feet in height. Sometimes as broad as tall. |
Growth Rate: |
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Fast. An annual or short-lived perennial. |
Range: |
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Widespread in North America south to Miami-Dade County and the Monroe County mainland. |
Habitats: |
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Pinelands and coastal uplands. |
Soils: |
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Moist, well-drained sandy soils, without humus. |
Nutritional Requirements: |
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Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils. |
Salt Water Tolerance: |
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Low; does not tolerate long-term flooding by salt or brackish water. |
Salt Wind Tolerance: |
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Moderate; grows near salt water, but is protected from direct salt spray by other vegetation. |
Drought Tolerance: |
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High; does not require any supplemental water once established. |
Light Requirements: |
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Full sun. |
Flower Color: |
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Yellow petals; yellow anthers. |
Flower Characteristics: |
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Showy. |
Flowering Season: |
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Spring-summer. |
Fruit: |
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Flat pod (legume). |
Wildlife and Ecology: |
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Provides food for birds. Larval host plant for ceraunus blue (Hemiargus ceraunus), cloudless sulphur (Phoebis sennae), little yellow (Eurema lisa) and gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus) butterflies. Attracts bee pollinators.
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Horticultural Notes: |
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Can be grown from seed. Plant in a pot with 2" or more of potting soil and spinkle soil over seeds to just cover them. Place in full sun or light shade. Keep moist. |
Comments: |
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Spreads readily from seed in the garden. In Miami-Dade County, distinguished from Deering partridge pea (C. deeringiana) by its yellow (vs. red) anthers. See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's Flower Friday page.
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