Partridge Pea
Chamaecrista fasciculata (Michx.) Greene
Also called: Sleeping Plant
Partridge Pea. Chamaecrista fasciculata, the partridge pea, is a cheerful annual legume native to prairies, open woods, and disturbed ground across the eastern and central United States. Bright yellow flowers with red centers bloom along the stems from midsummer into fall above feathery sensitive leaves that fold when touched. A nitrogen-fixing pioneer that reseeds readily, it is a workhorse of meadow mixes and pollinator plantings.
Growing & care
- Sun: full sun.
- Water: low. Drought-tolerant; thrives on poor, dry, disturbed ground.
- Soil: lean, sandy, well-drained. As a legume it fixes its own nitrogen and actually prefers infertile soil.
- Hardiness: annual across USDA zones 3–9; reseeds reliably to return each year.
- Spacing: broadcast in meadow plantings; individual plants reach 1–3 feet.
- Establishment: an excellent fast-establishing pioneer for new meadows, erosion control, and bare disturbed ground while slower perennials fill in.
Propagation
Grows easily from seed sown in fall or early spring — scarification improves germination but is not essential. It self-sows prolifically, returning year after year in undisturbed plantings. No transplanting needed; broadcast and rake in.
Common problems
Partridge pea is nearly carefree in the lean, sunny, dry conditions it prefers. Its main 'problem' is enthusiastic self-sowing, which is welcome in meadows but may spread more than wanted in tidy beds. Rich, fertile soil produces lush foliage and fewer flowers. The foliage and seeds contain compounds that can be toxic to cattle and pets if eaten in large quantity, though it is an important food plant for quail, deer, and many insects. Beyond pollinators, it is a host for several sulphur butterfly species and supports beneficial ground-nesting bees — a superb, easy, free-reseeding native for restoration and pollinator plantings.
Partridge Pea — seeds, tools & books
Native range
Native range not recorded for this plant. Often a non-native cultivar or naturalized garden plant.
