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Chamaecrista fasciculata (Partridge pea)
Marcus, Joseph A.

Chamaecrista fasciculata (Michx.) Greene

Partridge pea, Sleepingplant, Sensitive plant

Fabaceae (Pea Family)

Synonyms: Chamaecrista fasciculata var. fasciculata, Cassia chamaecrista

USDA Symbol: CHFA2

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

Sleepingplant or partridge-pea is a slender-stemmed, 1-3 ft. annual with pinnately-compound leaves bearing many small, yellow-green leaflets which fold together when touched. Large, showy, yellow flowers arise from leaf axils. Each flower is marked with red and is followed by a narrow pod.

This wildflower provides bright summer color, and the flowers attract bees and butterflies. Seed pods are eaten by gamebirds and songbirds, and the plant provides excellent cover for gamebirds and browse for deer. Leaves collapse when touched, giving rise to the common name Sensitive-plant. Like other members of the pea family, Partridge-pea requires the presense of microorganisms that inhabit nodules on the plants root system and produce nitrogen compounds necessary for the plants survival.

 

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Size Notes: 1-3
Leaf: Green
Flower: Flowers 1/2 inch
Fruit:
Size Class: 0-1 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , MI , MN , MO , MS , NC , NE , NJ , NM , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , SD , TN , TX , VA , WI , WV
Native Distribution: MA to FL Panhandle, w. to MN, e. NE, OK & extreme e. TX
Native Habitat: Open woodlands, Prairie, Plains, Meadows, Pastures, Savannahs
USDA Native Status: L48(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry , Moist
Soil Description: Dry, deep, sandy, well-drained soils. Clay, Clay Loam, Medium Loam, Sandy Loam, Sandy, Acid-based, Calcareous

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Showy, Color, Wildflower meadow, Border
Use Wildlife: Nectar-Bees, Nectar-Butterflies, Seeds-Granivorous birds, Nectar-ants.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Birds , Butterflies
Larval Host: Cloudless giant sulpher, Orange sulphur, Sleepy orange butterflies.
Nectar Source: yes

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees
Special Value to Bumble Bees
Supports Conservation Biological Control

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA)

Chamaecrista fasciculata is a larval host and/or nectar source for:
Orange Sulphur
(Colias eurytheme)

Larval Host
Learn more at BAMONA 		Sleepy Orange
(Abaeis nicippe)

Larval Host
Learn more at BAMONA

Propagation

Propagation Material: Seeds
Description: Propagate by seed.
Seed Collection: Not Available
Seed Treatment: Not Available
Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

From the National Suppliers Directory

According to the inventory provided by Associate Suppliers, this plant is available at the following locations:

Ohio Prairie Nursery - Hiram, OH

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Crosby Arboretum - Picayune, MS
Stengl Biological Research Station - Smithville, TX
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department - Austin, TX

Wildflower Center Seed Bank

LBJWC-0149 Collected 2007-09-04 in County by Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
* Available Online from Wildflower Center Store

Bibliography

Bibref 946 - Gardening with Prairie Plants: How to Create Beautiful Native Landscapes (2002) Wasowski, Sally
Bibref 318 - Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
Bibref 291 - Texas Wildscapes: Gardening for Wildlife (1999) Damude, N. & K.C. Bender
* The Midwestern Native Garden: Native Alternatives to Nonnative Flowers and Plants An Illustrated Guide (2011) Adelman, Charlotte and Schwartz, Bernard L.

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Chamaecrista fasciculata in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Chamaecrista fasciculata in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Chamaecrista fasciculata

Metadata

Record Modified: 2012-12-07
Research By: TWC Staff

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