Jul 23, 2022
Partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata), one of Appalachia’s native legumes, is also known as sensitive plant and sleepingplant, because its leaves fold up when touched. Ounce for ounce, this is one of the most valuable wildlife plants in North America, providing seed and cover for a variety of game birds, food for the larvae of cloudless and orange sulpher butterflies, nectar for various insects, and browsing for deer. But for me, the primary attractions are the plant’s bright pop of summer color and gorgeous foliage.
