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Senna pendula

christmas senna

Fabaceae South America

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Drought Tolerant

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 9–11

Overview

Senna pendula is a sprawling, evergreen shrub 2-5 m (6.5-16 ft) tall with arching, often scrambling branches. The leaves are pinnate, divided into three to six pairs of oval leaflets each 2-5 cm (0.8-2 in) long, with small glands on the leaf stalk. Clusters of bright yellow, five-petalled flowers about 2-3 cm (0.8-1.2 in) across are carried near the branch tips, mainly in autumn, giving rise to common names linked to Easter and Christmas. Cylindrical pods 8-15 cm (3-6 in) long follow, ripening brown and containing many seeds. Native to South America, it is widely naturalised along the coast and ranges of eastern Australia, where it is listed as an environmental weed and regulated in Queensland and New South Wales because it forms dense thickets in bushland and along waterways and spreads readily from seed. It grows fast on a range of soils, which adds to its weediness, and it can shade out and displace native understorey plants.

Native Range

Native to South America. It is widely naturalised and treated as an invasive environmental weed along the eastern coast and ranges of Australia and in other warm regions.

Suggested Uses

It has been grown as a fast-growing flowering shrub for autumn colour, though this use is discouraged where it has naturalised. In regions where it is a declared weed, it is removed from gardens and bushland rather than planted. Its main current significance is as an environmental weed of warm-climate eastern Australia.

How to Identify

A sprawling shrub 2-5 m (6.5-16 ft) with arching branches and pinnate leaves of three to six pairs of oval leaflets bearing small glands on the leaf stalk. Clusters of bright yellow five-petalled flowers appear near the branch tips, mainly in autumn. The long cylindrical brown pods and autumn flowering aid identification.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height6'6" - 16'

Width/Spread6'6" - 13'

Colors

Flower Colors

yellow

Foliage Colors

green

Fall Foliage Colors

no change

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

Fall

Clusters of bright yellow five-petalled flowers open mainly in autumn near the branch tips, with scattered flowers at other times in warm areas. The flowers draw bees and other insects. Long cylindrical pods follow, ripening brown and releasing many seeds that spread the plant.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 5-9 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

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam sand clay

Drainageaverage

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

tender

Time to Maturity

2-3 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

It grows in full sun to part shade on a wide range of soils with a pH of about 5.5-7.5, tolerating poor and disturbed ground. Fast growth and heavy seeding let it establish quickly, which is why it is regulated as an environmental weed in parts of eastern Australia. It is drought-tolerant once established and frost-tender, with growth checked by cold. Removing flowers and pods before the seed ripens limits its spread. Where it is a declared weed, whole-plant removal and disposal of seed are used to control it rather than ongoing cultivation.

Pruning

The arching stems can be cut back hard to contain the sprawling habit, and the plant reshoots readily. Removing spent flowers and developing pods reduces seeding into surrounding bushland. In weed-management settings the whole plant is removed rather than pruned.

⚠️ Toxicity Warning

Toxic to pets and humans