Alternate name: Sensitive Pea

Family: Fabaceae, Pea view all from this family

Description Partridge-pea or Sensitive Pea is a slender-stemmed annual, up to 1 ft. tall, with pinnately compound leaves. Each leaf is made up of numerous small, yellow-green leaflets that fold together when touched. The small, yellow flowers hang from short, axillary pedicels.

Flower July - August.

Flower July - August

Habitat Open woods; prairies; thickets; wet or dry shores.

Range Maine and Great Lakes to Kansas and Arizona, south to Florida and Texas.

Discussion Like other members of the pea family, this plant requires the presence of microorganisms that inhabit nodules on the plant's root system and produce nitrogen compounds necessary for the plant's survival.

Comments Like other members of the pea family, this plant requires the presense of microorganisms which inhabit nodules on the plant's root system and produce nitrogen compounds necessary for the plant's survival. Soil/seed inoculum is available at most native plant nurseries.

Exposure Preference Sun.

Native Distribution Vermont to extreme s.e. Kansas, s. to Florida & Texas

Site Preference Open woods; prairies; thickets; wet or dry shores

Soil Preference Sandy soils.