Partridge Pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata) - Seeds
€2,60
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Partridge Pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata) - Seeds
€2,60
Pickup available at Bei der Kirche 3
Usually ready in 24 hours
The Partridge Pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata) is a fascinating annual plant from the legume family (Fabaceae). It captivates with its delicate, fern-like leaves and bright yellow flowers, which often have a striking reddish spot at the base of the petals. A special characteristic of this plant is its touch sensitivity: the small, feathered leaves fold up when touched, during heavy rain, or even at night (sleep movement). As a true sun worshiper, it brings a wild, romantic flair to the garden and is also an extremely valuable ecological component.
Scope of delivery: 15 seeds each
Sowing at a glance
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Preparation: The seeds have a very hard shell. I recommend pouring hot water over them before sowing and letting them swell for about 12 to 24 hours to reliably break dormancy.
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Sowing depth: Place the seeds about 0.5 to 1 cm deep into the substrate and press lightly.
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Germination temperature: Constant warmth of 20 to 25 degrees Celsius is ideal.
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Germination time: After pretreatment in the warm water bath, seedlings usually appear quickly within 1 to 3 weeks.
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Substrate: Well-draining potting soil, preferably thinned with some sand. Keep consistently slightly moist, but never wet.
Growth habit, height, and location
The plant loves a full-sun, warm location. It grows upright to slightly bushy and reaches a height of about 30 to 90 cm depending on the site conditions. It places hardly any demands on the soil and thrives excellently even on sandy, nutrient-poor soils. Since it forms a very pronounced, deep taproot, it is essential to choose a sufficiently deep pot for container cultivation so that the root system has enough space downwards. When planted outdoors, it is extremely drought-tolerant after establishment.
Ecological value and care instructions
As a legume, Chamaecrista fasciculata forms a symbiosis with nodule bacteria at its roots. It actively binds nitrogen from the air and enriches the soil with it – thus sustainably improving soil quality. For this reason, I completely refrain from fertilizing, which the plant often does not tolerate well anyway. Simply plant it in loose, well-draining soil; that is completely sufficient as a base for it.
The numerous flowers, which appear from midsummer until early autumn, offer abundant nectar and are an absolute magnet for bees, bumblebees, and butterflies. In autumn, flat seed pods form, whose seeds are a valuable, energy-rich food source for native birds.
Origin
The Partridge Pea originally comes from eastern and central North America, where it often grows as a pioneer plant in open, sandy, and sunny areas.