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Mysterious yellow-blooming plant--verified: Cassia marilandica

comments (6) September 7th, 2009 in gallery

geron1mo geron1mo, member
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I cut this branch off to show there are six or seven pairs of pinnate leaves, each branch. The buds of the yellow flowers hang downward in clusters like bananas. Mimosa usually has fringy blooms, but these are like sweet pea blooms. What is it?
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This plant volunteered just behind the curb a couple of years ago. Perennial, it comes back taller each summer. This year it bloomed for the first time on Labor Day.  What is it? It is about five feet tall and three feet in diameter. The leaves fold together at night. The blooms look similar to those of sweet pea.

posted in: The Gallery, yellow, perennial
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Comments (6)

canudigit writes: i have had this plant in my garden about 10-12 years.i call it maryland wild senna. I got this originally at Behnke's.It is very sturdy but not spectacular.I have moved it successfully.i live in md. Posted: 11:08 am on September 18th
geron1mo writes: OK, CoolGreen, you are correct; it is Cassia marilandica.
And, yes, it is the Maryland Senna or wild senna. I suppose it IS evergreen there in Santa Barbara; of course, it would not be here, since we have frost and freezes. Thanks for your guidance on this--I just had it verified by a local plantsman--Tony Avent. Posted: 4:01 pm on September 14th
geron1mo writes: Well, thanks, but the peanut has four pinnate leaves on each branch. This plant has way more than that. I just checked it, and it's about five feet tall now, and three or four feet in diameter. Any more ideas? Posted: 9:01 pm on September 9th
DuckRabbit writes: This may not be helpful, but it looks like a peanut plant to me! Have you ruled out that possibility? Posted: 11:28 am on September 9th
geron1mo writes: Zone 7--NC. Cassia is evergreen, with thicker leaves, I think.
It does resemble Cassia, but has thin, flat leaves. This plant dies back each fall, then returns in summer. The blooms do look like those of Cassia, though. Posted: 2:29 am on September 9th
CoolGreenGardens writes: Without knowing your climate, it's hard to tell, but my first guess is a form of Cassia (also known by the genus Senna). They reseed here in Santa Barbara in our mild Mediterranean, but are generally permanent shrubs and trees. Hope this helps. Hard to tell without a more clear close-up. Posted: 2:02 am on September 9th
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