Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
Photo by: Beverly Frieidel, Palm Beach Chapter

Nomenclature

Common Name:

Chapman's sensitive plant, Bahama senna

Synonym(s):

Cassia chapmanii

Genus species:

Senna mexicana var. chapmanii

Family:

Fabaceae (Leguminosae)

Plant Specifics

Form:

shrub

Size:

2-4 ft tall by 3-6 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

yellow

Fruit Color:

brown

Phenology:

Evergreen but goes semi-dormant in drought or cold. Blooms all year in south Florida. Typically lives 3-5 years.

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Interesting Foliage

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Specimen shrub. Can be a border plant or planted in a mass. 

Considerations:

Availability:

Native Nurseries, Seed

Propagation:

Seed.

Light:

Full Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry

Coming Soon!

Usually moist, occasional inundation ---to--- Short very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray.

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Lime Rock

Soil pH:

Calcareous (high pH)

Suitable to Grow In:

10A,10B,11

Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Butterflies, Caterpillars

Larval host plant for cloudless sulphur ( Phoebis sennae ), sleepy orange ( Eurema nicippi ) and the introduced orange-barred sulphur ( Phoebis philea ) butterflies.





A gland at the base of the leaves attracts ants that attack the butterfly caterpillars (IRC)





Sennas attract butterflies, solitary bees including sweat bees and bumble bees, as pollinators.

Native Habitats:

Pine rocklands, rocky hammocks, dunes. Typically in sunny areas.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

Listed as Threatened in Florida by the FDACS.