Senna ligustrina
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Privet Senna, Privet Wild Sensitive Plant
Fabaceae (Leguminosae)
Also known as Cassia ligustrina
Plant Specifics
| Form: | Shrub | |
| Size: | 4-8 ft tall by 3-6 ft wide | |
| Life Span: | Long-lived perennial | |
| Flower Color: | Yellow | |
| Fruit Color: | Brown | |
| Phenology: | Evergreen. Flowers fall to spring or occasionally summer (most common during the dry season). | |
| Noted for: | Showy flowers |
Landscaping
| Recommended Uses: | Specimen shrub. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Propagation: | Seed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Availability: | Native nurseries, FNPS plant sales, Seed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Light: | Full Sun | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: |
always floodedextremely dry |
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| (Somewhat moist, no flooding ----- to ----- Very long very dry periods) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: | Somewhat moist, no flooding ----- to ----- Very long very dry periods | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Water Flooding Tolerance: | Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Spray/ Salty Soil Tolerance: | Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray. Exposure to salt spray would be uncommon (major storms). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil or other substrate: | Sand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil pH: | Adaptable | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ecology
| Wildlife: |
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| Insects: | 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, 2021) Sennas attract butterflies, solitary bees including sweat bees and bumble bees, as pollinators. | |
| Native Habitats: | Hammock edges, disturbed areas. |
Distribution and Planting Zones
Natural Range in Florida
USDA Zones
Suitable to grow in:
10A 10B 11 9A 9B
USDA zones are based on minimum winter temperatures
Comments
| General Comments: | Because it's a legume it can grow in poor soils, but does better with added organic matter. |