Plant Profile: Senna hebecarpa

Taxonomy: Senna hebecarpa

Names

American Senna, Wild Senna

  • Photo of Senna hebecarpa (Senna hebecarpas)

Phonetic Spelling:SEN-nuh hee-be-KAR-puh

Genus:Senna

Species:hebecarpa

Family:Fabaceae

American Senna is a perennial member of the legume family, thriving in the moist, wooded regions and disturbed areas of eastern North America. Its striking flowers, which range from light orange to yellow, develop into seed pods that attract birds. Once established, this plant demonstrates resilience to drought and can also tolerate wet soil conditions. Propagation is straightforward, either through seeds sown in early fall or by dividing the roots in early spring or fall. While it can adapt to sandy or rocky environments, it flourishes best in rich, loamy soil, and full sun exposure enhances its flowering potential.

In terms of pests, diseases, and other issues, when cultivated in nutrient-rich soil, the plant may become top-heavy during flowering and might require some support to prevent it from toppling over.

Senna hebecarpa Feature Summary

Senna hebecarpa Image Gallery

Tags

#deciduous
#wildlife plant
#yellow flowers
#native perennial
#low maintenance
#riparian
#stream banks
#bumblebees
#NC native
#summer flowers
#mid-summer flowers
#larval host plant
#food source summer
#gray-green leaves
#food source fall
#late summer flowers
#FAC
#food source herbage
#pollen plant
#butterfly friendly

Similar Plants

Senna hebecarpa is often confused with:

Senna hebecarpa Feature Summary

Attributes
Eastern Northern America
Bumblebees are attracted to pollen. Birds enjoy the seeds particularly Bobwhites. Larval host plant of the Cloudless sulphur butterfly. Insects like ladybird beetles, ants and flies nectar at the glands found at the base of the petioles because the flowers are nectarless.
Perennial
Fruit
Flattened pods 4" long 1/2" wide, dark brown at maturity with 10-18 segments each containing a seed.
Brown/Copper
> 3 inches
< 1 inch
Flowers
Butter yellow, not typical pea-like flowers, 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 from mid- to late summer.
White
Gold/Yellow
4-5 petals/rays
< 1 inch
Leaves
Compound pinnate leaves 5-10 pairs of gray green leaflets 2 1/2" long and 3/4" wide. Leaflets are oblong, elipitic with a pointed tip. At the petiole base are two laceolate stipules that fall off.
Green
Gray/Silver
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Elliptical
Oblong
Stem
Light green stout, slighty hairy
Hairy (pubescent)
Whole Plant Traits
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasionally Wet
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Landscape
Butterfly Garden
Butterflies
Songbirds
Bees

Senna hebecarpa Attributes

Senna hebecarpa: Country Or Region Of Origin

Eastern Northern America

Senna hebecarpa: Wildlife Value

Bumblebees are attracted to pollen. Birds enjoy the seeds particularly Bobwhites. Larval host plant of the Cloudless sulphur butterfly. Insects like ladybird beetles, ants and flies nectar at the glands found at the base of the petioles because the flowers are nectarless.

Senna hebecarpa: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Senna hebecarpa: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Senna hebecarpa Fruit

Senna hebecarpa: Fruit Description

Flattened pods 4" long 1/2" wide, dark brown at maturity with 10-18 segments each containing a seed.

Senna hebecarpa: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Senna hebecarpa: Fruit Color

grass
Brown/Copper

Senna hebecarpa: Fruit Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches

Senna hebecarpa: Fruit Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches

Senna hebecarpa Flowers

Senna hebecarpa: Flower Description

Butter yellow, not typical pea-like flowers, 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 from mid- to late summer.

Senna hebecarpa: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Gold/Yellow
filter_vintage
White

Senna hebecarpa: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Senna hebecarpa: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Senna hebecarpa: Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Senna hebecarpa: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Senna hebecarpa Leaves

Senna hebecarpa: Leaf Description

Compound pinnate leaves 5-10 pairs of gray green leaflets 2 1/2" long and 3/4" wide. Leaflets are oblong, elipitic with a pointed tip. At the petiole base are two laceolate stipules that fall off.

Senna hebecarpa: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Senna hebecarpa: Leaf Color

spa
Gray/Silver
spa
Green

Senna hebecarpa: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Senna hebecarpa: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Senna hebecarpa: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Senna hebecarpa: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Senna hebecarpa Stem

Senna hebecarpa: Stem Description

Light green stout, slighty hairy

Senna hebecarpa: Stem Color

grass
Green

Senna hebecarpa: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Senna hebecarpa: Stem Surface

Corky Ridges
Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
Dull
Hairy (pubescent)
Polished
Smooth (glabrous)

Senna hebecarpa Whole Plant Traits

Senna hebecarpa: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Senna hebecarpa: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Senna hebecarpa: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Senna hebecarpa: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Senna hebecarpa Cultural Conditions

Senna hebecarpa: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Senna hebecarpa: Soil pH

Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Senna hebecarpa: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Senna hebecarpa: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
4a
thermostat
4b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Senna hebecarpa: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Senna hebecarpa Landscape

Senna hebecarpa: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Senna hebecarpa: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Senna hebecarpa: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees