Bigpod Sesbania
Sesbania herbacea
- Native to:
- Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Leeward Is., Mexico, Nicaragua, Panamá, Peru, Puerto Rico, Trinidad-Tobago, United States
Lfatty22
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Sesbania
- Species:
- Sesbania herbacea
- USDA Symbol:
- SEHE8
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual | Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb , Subshrub
- Height:
- 300 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep,oct
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow, red
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
velvetbean caterpillar (Anticarsia gemmatalis), Funereal Duskywing (Erynnis funeralis), Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme), Zarucco Duskywing (Erynnis zarucco)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, bees
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- moist, fertile, well-drained loam
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Commonly found in wetlands and floodplains
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Hard seed coat requires scarification (mechanical or hot water treatment) for best germination. Seeds germinate readily after treatment.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI