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Desert Cassia Wikimedia Commons
Fabaceae

Desert Cassia

Senna covesii

Simplicity and adaptation.

Family
Fabaceae
Genus
Senna
Native to
Southwestern United States, Northern Mexico
Bloom season
Spring, Summer
Type
Shrub
Height
0.3-0.6 meters
Sunlight
Full sun
Soil
Sandy, rocky, well-drained
Water
Low
Hardiness
8-11
Lifespan
Perennial

Did you know

  • Desert cassia is a host plant for the cloudless sulphur and sleepy orange butterflies.
  • The plant has silvery-green leaves covered in fine hairs that reflect sunlight to reduce water loss.
  • It can bloom repeatedly after summer rains in the Sonoran Desert.
  • Traditional herbalists used related Senna species as natural laxatives for centuries.
  • The bright yellow flowers open in the morning and close by afternoon on hot days.

Color meanings

0

Adaptability

1

Cheerfulness

2

Warmth

Uses

  • Butterfly gardens
  • Xeriscaping
  • Traditional medicine