Senna roemeriana

Botanical Name

Senna roemeriana (Scheele) Irwin & Barneby

Common Name(s)

  • two-leaf senna

Synonyms

Legume Clades

Caesalpinioideae , Cassieae , Senna

Native Geographic Range

  • Southwestern North America

IUCN Status

Growth Form

perennial herb

Cultivation Status in AZ

Uniquely cultivated by DELEP

Description

Herbaceous plants to 2 ft (70 cm) high with stems dying back during winter. Leaves once-pinnate with 1 pair of dull green, lance-shaped leaflets. Yellow flowers are produced in clusters at the ends of the stems in summer.

Habitat

Native to parts of Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and adjacent northeastern Mexico. It occurs in the Chihuahuan Desert and in grasslands, mesquite savanna, and oak-juniper woodlands, especially on limestone soils.

Uses

None reported.

Horticulture

Two-leaf senna would make an attractive addition to wildflower gardens in dry regions. The plants are short-lived but reseed readily in suitable locations with adequate irrigation.