Star Wars Garden Gnome Partridge Pea - 1 Of The Best (Self-Sowing) Annuals Inwards My Garden

The bumblebees wing upward into the partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata) flowers in addition to thus vibrate with a high-pitched buzz... presumably to harvest the pollen? It's fun to observe!

Pollination results inwards the formation of these long seedpods. When the pods ripen, they plough a nighttime reddish colouring in addition to separate opened upward to unloose their seeds, some of which volition ideally sprout to practise adjacent year's partridge peas.

I scattered 130 seeds outdoors inwards autumn 2015 from Kansas Native Plants. Last spring, I exclusively had a few plants germinate, simply this twelvemonth I accept dozens of plants. I harvested some of the seeds to scatter around the garden in addition to allow other seeds autumn naturally to the the world beneath the plant. Some seedlings accept sprouted inwards the lawn too, simply they don't seem to bloom (so far) with regular mowing in addition to are piece of cake to pull, thus I'm non besides worried virtually this flora becoming a lawn weed. 

Partridge pea is native to Tennessee in addition to throughout much of the residue of the Central in addition to Eastern U.S.
The exclusively house I've seen it growing wild (and it mightiness genuinely accept been planted there) was amongst a parking lot inwards a South Florida nature preserve.
These plants are growing inwards total Sun on unamended, compacted clay soil with really lilliputian supplemental irrigation. (I mean value I've watered them past times hose a few times thus far this year.)  As yous tin see, they look to travel thriving.

Per the USDA:

[Partridge pea] seed is 1 of the major nutrient items of northern bobwhite in addition to other quail species because it remains inwards audio status throughout the wintertime in addition to early on spring. Partridge pea was found to travel 1 of the most of import autumn in addition to wintertime foods of bobwhite quail inwards Alabama. Partridge pea seeds are high inwards phosphorus content in addition to poly peptide value, in addition to depression inwards unsmooth fiber in addition to lignin making digestibility to a greater extent than frequently than non high.

Seeds of this legume are also eaten past times the greater in addition to lesser prairie-chicken, ring-necked pheasant, mallard [and] grassland birds.

Partridge pea frequently grows inwards dense stands, producing litter in addition to flora stalks that provide comprehend for upland game birds, minor mammals, minor non-game birds, in addition to waterfowl.

Partridge pea is considered an of import beloved plant, frequently occurring where few other beloved plants are found. Nectar is non available inwards the flowers of showy partridge pea simply is produced past times minor orangish glands at the base of operations of each leaf. Ants frequently try the nectar in addition to are frequent visitors. The mutual sulfur butterfly lays its eggs on the leaves, in addition to the larvae operate the leaves equally a nutrient source.

Partridge pea is considered an fantabulous species for planting on disturbed areas for erosion
control in addition to improving soil fertility. It establishes rapidly, fixes nitrogen, reseeds, in addition to slow decreases as other species inwards the seeding mix get to dominate the site. Nitrogen fixation is greatest during the flowering stage. To assistance foreclose weed establishment and command soil erosion along county roadsides in Iowa, partridge pea is frequently included inwards the seed mix with other forbs in addition to grasses.

Per the North American Butterfly Association:

Cloudless Sulphur, Sleepy Orange, in addition to Little Yellow caterpillars all operate Partridge Pea equally a nutrient source. All 3 of these butterflies hit widely over the southern U.S., with Little Yellow’s hit existence restricted eastward.

Partridge Pea is also used equally a nutrient source past times Ceraunus Blue caterpillars which are mutual inwards far southern regions, unremarkably tardily inwards the summer; found all twelvemonth long inwards southern Florida in addition to the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas.

Gray Hairstreak caterpillars also include Partridge Pea equally a caterpillar nutrient flora inwards improver to countless other plants.