Plant Name
Scientific Name: Senna wislizeni
Synonyms: Cassia wislizeni, C. wislizenii
Common Names: Wislizenus' Senna, Shrubby Senna, Shrubby Cassia
Plant Characteristics
Duration: Perennial
Growth Habit: Shrub
Arizona Native Status: Native
Habitat: Desert (upper elevation), Upland
Flower Color: Yellow
Flowering Season: Spring, Summer, Fall (early)
Height: To 9 feet (2.7 m) tall, but usually less here
Description: The flowers are in small clusters at the branch tips. The individual flowers have 5 golden yellow, cupped petals, 10 stamens, and a single pistil. The flowers are followed by long, narrow, dark brown bean pods. The leaves are pinnately compound with 2 to 3 pairs of small, oval-shaped, dark green leaflets. The branches are woody and dark gray-brown in color. The bright golden yellow flowers strongly contrast against the dark leaves and branches.
Special Characteristics
Butterfly Plant – This is a larval food plant for Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae) and related butterflies. The flowers attract butterflies.
Classification
Kingdom: Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass: Rosidae
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae – Pea family
Genus: Senna Mill. – senna
Species: Senna wislizeni (A. Gray) Irwin & Barneby – Wislizenus' senna
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