Wild Senna Is an Underrated Winner

Wild senna is an underrated plant with striking yellow blooms and attractive foliage. Exposure to full sun provides the energy for more flowers. It is a host plant for sulphur butterflies ( Phoebis sennae, Phoebis philea, and Abaeis nicippe). Birds appreciate the many seedpods, and the plant is an essential food source for game birds like quail.

Yet, In the home landscaping, this wildflower is underappreciated. In nature, it can be found in meadows, pastures, roadsides and long riverbanks.

Propagation Control Needed

Wild senna reproduces easily from seeds released by the plant or begun in the early fall, and through root division in the early spring or fall. To keep the number of plants in the garden under control, clip back ripe seed heads in late summer and early fall. Once established, this plant is drought resistant.

Medicinal Uses

Many centuries ago, its leaves were utilised for cathartic tea. Today, the leaves and seeds are utilised as a laxative. Indigenous peoples utilise the plant’s root to treat high fevers, as a worm medicine, to treat fainting episodes, and to treat pneumonia.