PARTRIDGE PEA
Summary
Partridge Pea is an annual erect legume adapted to a wide geographic area from Maine to Florida, west to South Dakota and Colorado, south to central Texas. It does not compete well in established grasslands but thrives in disturbed areas with an annual rainfall of 15 to 45 inches. Partridge pea grows on a wide range of soils but does best on neutral well-drained sites. Partridge pea produces pods with multiple flat black seeds which open up and shatter the seed when mature. It is a prolific seed producer and can become invasive after a few years.
Plant Characteristics
Taxonomy
Zone
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zones
- 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Plant Characteristics
- Height
- 16" - 48"
- Bloom Period
- Mid-Summer - Early-Fall
- Bloom Color
- Yellow
- Leaf Color
- Green
- Growing Cycle
- Annual
- Sun Requirement
- Full Sun
Plant Information
- Planting Season
- Fall - Spring
- Plant Depth
- 0.25" - 0.75"
- Minimum Soil Temp for Germination
- 55° F
- Establishment
- Easy
Seed Information
- Seeds Per Pound
- 65,000
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Tracheobionta
- Super Division
- Spermatophyta
- Division
- Magnoliophyta
- Class
- Magnoliopsida
- Subclass
- Asteridae
- Order
- Asterales
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Genus
- Chamaecrista
- Species
- Chanaecrista fasciculata
Coverage Area & Available Sizes
Applications
Attractive in mass plantings as well as in species mixes, fairly aggressive.
When combined with grasses, forbs, and legumes.
Notes
*Special considerations for spring planting: seed germination can be improved with mechanical scarification. Seed needs to be inoculated with Rhizobium (EL-cowpea type) for nitrogen fixation to occur. Germination of scarified seed generally occurs within 2 weeks after planting provided adequate soil moisture and temperature conditions are met.
partridgepeaclose
