Description: Bright yellow flowers with delicate, fern-like foliage. 2 ft height
Growth Habit: Upright, bushy annual or short-lived perennial.
Sun/Shade: Full sun.
Water Needs: Low; drought-tolerant.
Soil Preferences: Well-drained, sandy or rocky soil.
Benefits: Attracts bees and butterflies. Great for prairie restorations and pollinator gardens. Fixes nitrogen in the soil.
 
Partridge Pea's yellow flowers with deep-red stamens are not only a cheery summer plant, but are great favorites of bees and other pollinators. The plant’s visual appeal is enhanced by its symmetrical foliage, with blue-green leaves oppositely arranged in groups of 8-15 pairs.  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.  Partridge Pea is an annual and a legume so fixes soil nitrogen and forms attractive maroon seed pods in the fall, from which it readily self-seeds in medium to dry soils, growing to 2’ in height.  These seed pods are excellent food for game birds and songbirds that spend the winter with us. It is native to much of the eastern half of the US.  It was formerly called Cassia fasciculata.

Species of genus Chamaecrista are legumes. Most legume species harbor beneficial bacteria called rhizobia on their roots. Genus-specific strains of this bacterium called inoculum can aid in the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen and improve long-term health of native plant communities. Inoculum is naturally-occurring in most soils and additional amendment is usually not needed. However, in low fertility soils it may be necessary.