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| ## partridge pea {#partridge-pea .Title-Header}                       |
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| *Chamaecrista fasciculata* (Michx.) Greene                            |
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| Plant Symbol = CHFA2                                                  |
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Contributed by: USDA NRCS James E. "Bud" Smith Plant Materials Center,
Knox City, Texas and Manhattan Plant Materials Center, Manhattan, Kansas

##### Alternate Names {#alternate-names .Header-3}

*Cassia chamaecrista* L., *C. fasciculata*, Michx., sleeping plant,
prairie partridge pea, showy partridge pea, prairie senna,
large-flowered sensitive-pea, dwarf cassia, partridge pea senna, locust
weed, golden cassia

##### Uses {#uses .Header-3}

*Wildlife*: The seed is one of the major food items of northern bobwhite
and other quail species because it remains in sound condition throughout
the winter and early spring. Partridge pea was found to be one of the
most important fall and winter foods of bobwhite quail in Alabama.
Partridge pea seeds are high in phosphorus content and protein value,
and low in crude fiber and lignin making digestibility generally high.

Seeds of this legume are also eaten by the greater and lesser
prairie-chicken, ring-necked pheasant, mallard, grassland birds, and
field mice. Deer can eat it without being poisoned (note livestock use).
Partridge pea often grows in dense stands, producing litter and plant
stalks that furnish cover for upland game birds, small mammals, small
non-game birds, and waterfowl.

Partridge pea is considered an important honey plant, often occurring
where few other honey plants are found. Nectar is not available in the
flowers of showy partridge pea but is produced by small orange glands at
the base of each leaf. Ants often seek the nectar and are frequent
visitors. The common sulfur butterfly lays its eggs on the leaves, and
the larvae use the leaves as a food
source.![](media/image2.jpeg){width="2.9277777777777776in"
height="2.2069444444444444in"}

*Erosion control*: The plant can be used along road banks and stream
banks to control erosion. Partridge pea most commonly occurs as a
pioneer or colonizer of disturbed areas.

*Recreation and beautification*: The flowers of this plant can be used
to beautify areas where wildflowers are planted. The foliage is somewhat
sensitive and will partially close when touched. Partridge pea is
commonly grown as an ornamental. The bright yellow flowers make it a
popular choice for use in native gardens.

*Ethnobotanic:* Cherokee Drug (Sports Medicine):\
root medicine used to keep ball players from tiring.\
Cherokee Drug (Stimulant): compound infusion given for fainting spells.
Seminole Drug (Antiemetic): cold decoction of plant used for nausea.
Seminole Other (Tools): plants used as a bed for ripening persimmons.

*Livestock:* *Although partridge pea foliage is nutritious, it can be
poisonous and should be considered potentially dangerous to cattle.*
Partridge pea leaves and seeds contain a cathartic substance. This
substance is effective either in fresh plant material or in dry hay.
Domestic livestock will eat partridge pea leaves. However, if large
quantities are consumed, the animal may be stressed and die.

*Restoration:* Partridge pea is considered an excellent species for
planting on disturbed areas for erosion control and improving soil
fertility. It establishes rapidly, fixes nitrogen, reseeds, and slowly
decreases as other species in the seeding mix begin to dominate the
site. Nitrogen fixation is greatest during the flowering stage. To help
prevent weed establishment and control soil erosion along county
roadsides in Iowa, partridge pea is often included in the seed mix with
other forbs and grasses.

##### Status {#status .Header-3}

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural
Resources for this plant's current status (e.g. threatened or endangered
species, state noxious status, and wetland indicator values).

#####  {#section .Header-3}

##### Description {#description .Header-3}

*General*: Pea Family (Fabaceae). Partridge pea is an annual sub-erect
native legume plant that reaches a height of 1 to 3 feet. The leaves
consist of 10 to 15 pairs of small, narrow leaflets that are somewhat
delicate to the touch. The showy yellow flowers, about 1 inch across,
grow 2 to 4 together in clusters on the stem. Flowers normally bloom
July-September. The fruit is a straight, narrow pod 1½ to 2½ inches
long, which splits along 2 sutures as it dries; the pod sides spiral to
expel the seeds some distance from the parent plant.

*Distribution*: For current distribution, please consult the Plant
Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web site.

*Habitat*: Partridge pea grows on prairies, bluffs, riverbanks and river
bottoms, as well as upland woods of the Great Plains. Partridge pea is
common on sandy savannahs of the lower Gulf Coastal Plain. Partridge pea
is most common on sandy to sandy loam soils. It grows best in full
sunlight but will survive under shady conditions. Partridge pea has low
water requirements and will grow and produce seed under stressed
conditions. The lower pH limit of showy partridge pea is 5.0.

##### Adaptation {#adaptation .Header-3}

The USDA hardiness zones for showy partridge pea are 3 to 9. It is
distributed throughout the Midwest, eastern, and southern United States.

##### Establishment {#establishment .Header-3}

Drill seeds at 1/4 to 3/4 inch deep at a rate of 10-15 pounds of Pure
live Seed (PLS) per acre. If broadcasting seeds, the rate should be
increased and seed covered by lightly disking or by cultipacking.
Partridge pea can be planted from late winter (March) to late spring
(May). Scarification will improve germination of seed, but it is not
necessary to establish plantings of partridge pea. Seed should also be
inoculated with the correct species of rhizobium before planting.
Fertilizer should be applied at the recommended rate, based on soil
samples, at time of planting.

##### Management {#management .Header-3}

Established stands should be disked lightly in the spring to expose
mineral soil on which the seed can germinate. Partridge pea usually
reseeds but will gradually disappear without regular maintenance. Light
disking to remove weeds, small brush, and old sod is necessary for
healthy stands. In areas where prescribed burning is permitted,
controlled fire is an excellent method for controlling unwanted
vegetation. Fire or disking should be done in late winter for best
results. Weeds can also be controlled during the growing season by
mowing over the top of partridge pea plants.

##### Seeds and Plant Production {#seeds-and-plant-production .Header-3}

Showy partridge pea seed can be cold moist stratified for 56 days to
improve germination. Under controlled conditions germination occurs at
an alternating cycle of 30^o^C daytime and 15^o^C nighttime
temperatures. The optimum soil temperature for germination is 20^o^C to
30^o^C. Seventy percent of seeds will germinate in 7 to 25 days. The
seed count of partridge pea is approximately 62,000 seeds per pound from
cultivated plants.

Seed for production fields should be planted ¼ to ¾ inches deep on
raised beds 36-40 inches apart. The seeding rate for seed production is
2-3 pounds PLS per acre. Being a legume that fixes nitrogen partridge
pea only needs one 20-pound application of phosphorous applied in the
spring each year. Seeds are ready for harvest in late October and
November. Partridge pea may be direct harvested with a combine or plants
may be swathed and combined after drying. Average seed production at the
Knox City Plant Materials Center has been recorded at 550 pounds per
acre. About 37 percent of harvested material at Manhattan, Kansas,
yields clean seed.

##### Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials (and area of origin) {#cultivars-improved-and-selected-materials-and-area-of-origin .Header-3}

The USDA NRCS Plant Materials Centers have three releases:

'Comanche' (TX) partridge pea, a cultivar release from the Knox City
Plant Materials Center (PMC) in Texas, was selected for use as a
warm-season legume cover crop in the re-vegetation of critical areas,
mined lands, as a wildlife food plant, and as a plant for
beautification.

'Riley' (KS), a release from the Manhattan Plant Materials Center in
Manhattan, Kansas, was developed to provide an adapted cultivar for use
in wildlife habitat improvement, erosion control, and recreational area
plantings in the Central Plains Region. Riley has also been shown to be
adapted for conservation use in southwestern and southern Missouri,
Arkansas; western Tennessee, northeastern Mississippi, western
Louisiana, and northeast Texas.

Lark Selection (AR), a selected class release from the Jamie L. Whitten
PMC in Coffeeville, Mississippi, was selected to provide an adapted
partridge pea for use in critical area seeding mixtures, wildlife food
and cover, and beautification of roadsides in Arkansas, Louisiana,
Mississippi, Alabama, and western Tennessee (mid-South region).

Contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly Soil
Conservation Service) office for more information. Look in the phone
book under "United States Government". The Natural Resources
Conservation Service will be listed under the subheading "Department of
Agriculture."

##### References {#references .Header-3}

Ajilvsgi, G. 1991. *Wildflowers of Texas*. Shear Publishing,
Fredericksburg, Texas.

Englert, J. M. et al. 1999--. *USDA-NRCS improved conservation plant
materials released by NRCS and cooperators*. USDA NRCS National Plant
Materials Center, Beltsville, Maryland.

Graham, E. H**.** 1941. Legumes for erosion control and wildlife. USDA
Misc. Publ. 412. (Leg ErWild)

##### Green, D.L., *Plant pollinator web site*. (http://pollinator.com/index.html), 22 March 2006. {#green-d.l.-plant-pollinator-web-site.-httppollinator.comindex.html-22-march-2006. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-1 .Header-3}

Haddock, M. 2004. *Kansas wildflowers and grasses.*
(http://www.lib.ksu.edu/wildflower/, 7 March 2006). Kansas State
University, Manhattan.

Hamel, P.B. and M.U. Chiltoskey. 1975. Cherokee Plants and Their Uses
\-- A 400 Year History. Sylva, N.C. Herald Publishing Co. 54p.

#####  {#section-2 .Header-3}

##### Native Plant Information Network. 2001. *Propagation datasheets* (http://www.wildflower2. org/NPIN/Clearinghouse/Propagation/propsheets. html, 7 March 2006). Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Austin. {#native-plant-information-network.-2001.-propagation-datasheets-httpwww.wildflower2.-orgnpinclearinghousepropagationpropsheets.-html-7-march-2006.-lady-bird-johnson-wildflower-center-austin. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-3 .Header-3}

Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation *Plant image gallery*.
(http://www.noble.org/WebApps/ PlantImageGallery/
Plant.aspx?PlantID=101&PlantTypeID=1)

##### Accessed: 6 March 2006. Ardmore, OK. {#accessed-6-march-2006.-ardmore-ok. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-4 .Header-3}

North Carolina Department of Transportation. *Wildflowers on North
Carolina Roadsides,*
(http://www.ncdot.org/doh/operations/dp_eng/roadside/wildflowerbook/.
Raleigh.

Sturtevant, W. 1954. *The Mikasuki Seminole: Medical beliefs and
practices*. Yale University, PhD Thesis (p. 276, 496).

Tesky, J.L. 1992. *Cassia fasciculata*. In: Fire Effects Information
System, \[Online\]. (http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/, 7 March 2006).

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service

Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, 1986. Comanche Partridge Pea.
L221. 4p. Texas A&M University System, College Station.

USDA NRCS Jamie L Whitten Plant Materials Center. *Notice of release:
Lark selection partridge pea*.
(http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/pubs/mspmcrnchfa2.pdf) USDA-NRCS
Jamie L. Whitten Plant Materials Center, Coffeeville, MS. 3p.

USDA NRCS James E.'Bud' Smith Plant Materials Center. *Notice of
release: "Comanche" partridge pea*.
(http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/pubs/txpmcrnchfa2.pdf) USDA-NRCS
James E.'Bud' Smith Plant Materials Center, Knox City, TX, 2p.

USDA NRCS Manhattan Plant Materials Center. *Notice of release: 'Riley'
showy partridge pea*.
(http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/pubs/kspmcrnchfa2.pdf) USDA-NRCS
Plant Materials Center, Manhattan, KS. 8p.

USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program.\
*Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN)*
(http://www.ars-grin.gov2/cgi-bin/npgs/html/tax_search.pl) \[Online:
cited 16 March 2006\]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory,
Beltsville, MD

USDA NRCS 2006. The PLANTS database. ([http://plants.usda.gov)]().
[National Plant Data Center]{.underline}, Baton Rouge, LA. Accessed: 22
March 2006.

Wolfe, J.A. 1991. Technical Notes: Coffeeville Plant Materials Center,
Seed Production and Variation Among Selected Partridgepea Accessions.
(http://www.plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/pubs/mspmctn21991.pdf)
\[Accessed 20 July 2007\]. USDA-NRCS Jamie L. Whitten Plant Materials
Center, Coffeeville, MS. Vol. 7(2). 10p.

##### Prepared By:  {#prepared-by .Header-3}

##### *Morris J Houck*, USDA NRCS Alexandria, Louisiana, formerly, Plant Materials Center, Knox City, Texas and *John M. Row*, Plant Materials Center, Manhattan, Kansas {#morris-j-houck-usda-nrcs-alexandria-louisiana-formerly-plant-materials-center-knox-city-texas-and-john-m.-row-plant-materials-center-manhattan-kansas .Header-3}

#####  {#section-5 .Header-3}

##### Species Coordinator: {#species-coordinator .Header-3}

##### *Morris J. Houck*, USDA NRCS Alexandria, Louisiana, formerly, Plant Materials Center, Knox City, Texas {#morris-j.-houck-usda-nrcs-alexandria-louisiana-formerly-plant-materials-center-knox-city-texas .Header-3}

#####  {#section-6 .Header-3}

##### Edited: 22mar2006 jsp; 070823 jsp {#edited-22mar2006-jsp-070823-jsp .Header-4}

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your
local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS
Web site\<[http://plants.usda.gov](http://plants.usda.gov/)\> or the
Plant Materials Program Web site
\<[http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov](http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov/)\>

*The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in
all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national
origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual
orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases
apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require
alternative means for communication of program information (Braille,
large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA\'s [TARGET
Center](http://www.usda.gov/oo/target.htm) at 202-720-2600 (voice and
TDD).*

*To file a complaint of discrimination write USDA, Director, Office of
Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence
Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice or
TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.*

*Read about [Civil Rights at the Natural Resources Conservation
Service](http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/about/civilrights/).*