Sensitive Partridge Pea
Chamaecrista nictitans
- Native to:
- Argentina, Aruba, Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Cayman Is., Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guam, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Leeward Is., Mexico, Navassa Island, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Palau, Panamá, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, Turks-Caicos Is., United States, Venezuelan Antilles, Windward Is.
iNaturalist: © tedleeeubanksjr (iNaturalist #93268649)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Chamaecrista
- Species:
- Chamaecrista nictitans
- USDA Symbol:
- CHNI2
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual | Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb , Subshrub
- Height:
- 60 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep,oct
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★★☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Adelphia petrella, Aristotelia corallina, Caristanius decoloralis, Caristanius minimus, Selenisa sueroides
Reported Fauna Sightings
Butterflies:Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies, birds, small mammals
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Recolonizes quickly after fire from soil seed bank. Common in fire-maintained prairies, roadsides, and disturbed areas.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- commonly found in open, disturbed areas
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Scarification of hard seed coat required for good germination. Hot water treatment or mechanical scarification effective.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI