Senna, Maryland Wild Sensitive Plant

Description

Botanical Name: Senna marilandica

Common Name:  Maryland Wild Sensitive Plant, Maryland Senna, Maryland Wild Senna, Southern Wild Senna, Wild Senna

Description:  This is another one that has a common name that sounds like it wouldn’t be native to Florida, oh but it is!

Maryland Senna is a herbaceous perennial in the Fabaceae (pea) family. Its native habitat is moist forested areas and disturbed sites.  This is a striking plant while in bloom and has attractive foliage. The showy yellow flowers bloom July into August, then grow into dark brown seedpods that attract birds and add winter interest to the garden.

Plant this in sun to part sun, in the usual moist but well draining soil. It grows fine in loam, sand, clay, or rocky soils. Is ok with an occasional flood, so you can go ahead and plant it in your rain garden or low spot. The more fertile and moist the soil is, the taller the plant will grow. Very tall plants may flop over when in bloom. Is somewhat drought tolerant once established. It quickly grows 4-6′ tall and wide. Because it is a legume, it can fix nitrogen in the soil.

It has butter yellow, raceme or panicle of flowers 1/2″-1″ long. Flowers have 5 yellow sepals, 5 yellow petals, 10 dark brown stamens. Petals whiten as they age. The dull green leaves are pinnate and composed of 6-12 pairs of oval leaflets.

This is a host plant for various Sulphur butterflies including Cloudless Sulphur, Orange-Barred Sulphur, Tailed Orange, Little Yellow, and Sleepy Orange Butterflies. The seeds may be eaten by some upland gamebirds as well, particularly quail and dove. It is of special value to bumble bees. It provides food and cover for wildlife. It is deer and rabbit resistant.

Maryland senna is virtually indistinguishable from the American senna, except when they produce ripe seeds. The seedpods of the Maryland senna remain tightly closed until the end of the season, whereas the American senna plant readily opens its pods and allows the seeds to fall out.

Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. Moderately tolerant of salty wind and salt spray.

This plant in 1-gallon containers is 8 – 15″ tall.

Plant Lore:  The plant has many medicinal uses. In the 9th century, physicians used to brew the leaves to make a cathartic (purgative) tea. The leaves and seeds are used today as a laxative. The Cherokee and other Native Americans use the root of the plant to treat high fevers, worm remedy, fainting spells, and pneumonia.

Florida Hardiness Zones 8 – 10