Many years ago, I went on a local garden tour and saw these AMAZING yellow flowers. Oh, how I longed for them. You can see why...
This is really how they look! No enhancement in this photo
Interestingly, these annuals are native to Minnesota and are bee magnets. As noted by Prairie Moon Nursery: The leaves retreat when touched so another name that may be used is Sensitive Plant. These leaves are the larval host for the Little Yellow, Sleepy Orange and Orange Sulfur butterflies.
They're also long blooming, prolific and very easy to start from seed. I must include the photo below due to the amazing light at the time the photo was taken. I just can't help myself!
And look at all those buds!
Northern Gardener Magazine highlighted this native beauty, and I will share some of the points found in the article along with my own. They forge a path for other plants to flourish by fixing nitrogen in the soil. An awesome feat in my opion. This plant is a legume (a member of the bean family). You'll understand when you see their seed pods.
This darling jumped the sidewalk
With all those seeds, that's a lot of plants! Once you have them, you will ALWAYS have them! ;-) The above photo was taken in late August. By late Septmeber the pods turn brown and literally burst with even just a small gust of wind. Their seeds are spread near and far. There is no need to do a thing. Unless you don't want that many. Then, as I did this past year, you pull the whole plant out before the pods burst. They come out of the soil very easily. No tools necessary. I did this to thin them out of my rose bushes and rain garden.
The pods burst at the slightest movement and will spread into any cracks in your sidewalk, driveway, street, the list goes on.
Legumes are one of the Earth's most diverse plants. The pea family tree includes Honeylocust, Chickpea, Lupine and more. Their seeds are rich in phosphorus and birds enjoy eating them during the winter months.
If you have a space where you would love to have a wild, beautiful, beneficial flower; then consider the Partridge Pea! While they can get out of control, their flowers and benefits far outweigh their "boisterous" nature.
As for sowing, you can purchase a packet of seeds from a number of places, including Gertens where Partridge Peas are in their wildflower seed mixes. My packet came from Prairie Moon Nursery. You can sprinkle the seeds in late fall through late winter to stratify them (give them the cold treatment). This encourages germination in spring. They prefer full to part sun.
Tossing seeds to the wind,
The Garden Scoop
