Partridge Pea

[H20fwler]

When we put in our fifteen acre pasture of native grasses we mixed in a variety of wildflower seed, clovers and partridge pea seed.
We now have thousands and thousands of partridge pea in the understory which I think is a good thing. The bees love it and a variety of wildlife eat it.

Question I have is are there different varieties of partridge pea? Almost all of ours are a couple feet tall with pods that are around two to three inches.



Then in one corner of the pasture I have a patch of this stuff. It looks like some kind of giant partridge pea growing three to four feet plus tall with pods around six inches. Is it also partridge pea? Maybe some kind of native?

 

[Native Hunter]

Look up chamaecrista nictitans versus chamaecrista fasciculata and it might answer your question. The partridge pea I bought (which I believe to be the later) gets very tall - sometimes over 5 feet. The native stuff gets knee high.

 

[willy]

It could be american senna

 

[Turkey Creek]

I think I heard on a recent podcast from WildlifeUniversity that you want to avoid anything but the native variety. The other varieties become too aggressive and choke out everything else in some locations.

 

[Native Hunter]

The aggressiveness of the improved (taller) cultivars of partridge pea is a positive factor rather than a negative factor for me. You will find that in a tall grass prairie that many annual species (and especially the short ones) just disappear over time. To have an annual that survives and provides both food and cover is a big plus in my opinion. Just a few days ago I was watching two bucks lumbering down a shooting lane I recently mowed. They were reaching up and eating the tops of partridge pea all along the way. The improved variety that I planted gets 5 feet tall (or taller) and holds its own very well with the other competing species. However, some of the other desirable annual species (common ragweed, giant ragweed, tick-trefoil, etc.) that were native do just as well and are not choked out by the partridge pea.

PS - I think Willy might be right and that second plant could be senna. It doesn't grow here, so I am not very familiar with it, but the pods on that plant look too long (and different) for any partridge pea I have seen.

 

[omicron1792]

Agree native. I rarely see the forbs take over. The grasses will take over quickly. So having an aggressive forb can be a good thing.

 

[Turkey Creek]

Sorry I wasnt thinking along the line of s NWSG stand, just a forb planting. You guys are right, grass does eventually out compete everything else for the most part without regular disturbance.

 

[Native Hunter]

I think the most aggressive forb on my place is the common ragweed that was already in the seed bank. It only gets 4 feet high at the most, but I think it alone makes up 30% or more of the forb composition. I see a lot of browsing on it too.

 

[omicron1792]

Sorry I wasnt thinking along the line of s NWSG stand, just a forb planting. You guys are right, grass does eventually out compete everything else for the most part without regular disturbance.

I’ve read that same thing about partridge pea. But I agree with native.

I have seen it become the dominant forb. However, it’s my favorite forb so I don’t mind that. I have a lot of ragweed too

 

[H20fwler]

Our pasture is full of very healthy native grasses. A mix of big and little bluestem two different colors of Indian gasses and switch. It also has a good understory of clovers trefoil partridge pea wildflowers and weeds.
We put it in around ten years ago. I don’t think the partridge pea could ever take it over very easily.
Took these pics in pasture last night.

 

[H20fwler]

I looked up the senna plant and it is native to my area and looks like it has some interesting benefits for wildlife and people.

Another great thing about this site…can learn something new every day! Thanks Willy

 

[omicron1792]

Our pasture is full of very healthy native grasses. A mix of big and little bluestem two different colors of Indian gasses and switch. It also has a good understory of clovers trefoil partridge pea wildflowers and weeds.
We put it in around ten years ago. I don’t think the partridge pea could ever take it over very easily.
Took these pics in pasture last night.

View attachment 57124

View attachment 57125

Looks great! The grass looks good too! Ha.

Pretty wife!