Partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata)

Description: 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.

Read the Florida Wildflower Foundation's profile of Partridgepea.