Chamaecrista nictitans
sensitive pea
SunFull Sun – Part Shade
Overview
Chamaecrista nictitans is a slender annual legume in the pea family, with erect or spreading stems 6-24 inches (15-60 cm) tall. The leaves are pinnately compound, 1-3 inches (2.5-7.5 cm) long, with 10-22 pairs of small narrow leaflets that fold together when touched or at night, giving the plant its common name. Small yellow flowers, each about 0.25-0.4 inch (6-10 mm) across with five unequal petals, appear in the leaf axils from summer into fall. The flowers are smaller than those of the related partridge pea. The fruit is a flat, hairy pod 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) long that splits and curls to fling out the seeds. As a legume it fixes nitrogen with root bacteria and grows on poor soil. It occupies open, disturbed sandy ground, fields, woodland edges, and roadsides across the eastern and central United States. Being annual, it depends on self-sown seed and can be patchy from year to year.
Native Range
Chamaecrista nictitans is native to the eastern and central United States, ranging from New England and the Midwest south to Florida and Texas, and into Mexico and parts of Central and South America. It grows in open, disturbed sandy soils, fields, and roadsides.Suggested Uses
Used in wildflower meadows, prairie and pollinator plantings, erosion control, and restoration of poor sandy sites. The flowers draw bees and the foliage feeds the caterpillars of sulphur butterflies. It is sown directly where it is to grow.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height6" - 2'
Width/Spread6" - 1'6"
Bloom Information
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 5-12 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Water & Climate
Water Needs
Drought Tolerance
Drought tolerant when established
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grows in full sun to light shade in sandy, well-drained, often poor soil with a pH near 5.0-7.0. As a nitrogen-fixing legume it grows on lean ground and needs no fertilizer; rich soil produces leafy growth with fewer flowers. It tolerates heat and drought and grows quickly from seed each year. The leaflets fold when touched or in low light. Plants reseed in open ground and persist on disturbed sites without care.Pruning
No pruning is needed. Plants can be pulled or mowed after seed set if reseeding is not wanted. Leaving the pods to ripen allows the stand to return the next year.⚠️ Toxicity Warning
Toxic to petsPlanting Guide
Planting Methods & Timing
Planting Method
direct sow
Direct Sow Timing
Sow in spring after the last frost on bare soil; seed benefits from scarification
Days to Maturity
80–110 days
Plant Spacing
12 inches