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Partridge Pea Seeds
Chamaecrista fasciculata
Partridge pea is an herbaceous annual or short-lived perennial that occurs naturally in scrub, sandhill, flatwoods, beach dunes and disturbed areas throughout the state. Flowers appear from late spring through late fall, and year-round in South Florida. The blooms attract mostly butterflies and long-tongued bees, while ants, flies, wasps and other bees are attracted to the nectar glands that grow on leaf stems. Seeds are consumed by birds and other wildlife. Partridge pea is a host plant to several species of butterfly, including the Gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus) and Cloudless sulphur (Phoebis sennae). Despite its appeal to so many insects, the flower is pollinated only by long-tongued bees.
Variety Info:
This legume with pea-like flowers is often planted as a food source for doves and quail.
Lifespan: Annual
Light exposure: Full sun to high pine shade
Bloom color: Yellow
Bloom season: Mid-summer to mid-fall
Height (in bloom): 3+ feet
Habitat: Dry pinelands and disturbed areas
Germination Note: Seeds have hard, water impermeable seed coats that prevent germination. Lightly abrading the hard seed coats on sandpaper or a concrete surface (“scarification”) for a few seconds will allow the seeds to absorb water and germinate. To test whether the seed coats have been abraded enough, place a few of the abraded seeds in a shallow dish of water. Sufficiently scarified seeds will swell noticeably within an hour or two; swollen seeds must be sown immediately. If most seeds do not swell, repeat the abrasion process and retest. Scarified seeds should be sown within a week or two.
Each packet covers 10 square feet.
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