6.05.2009

Fab Foliage Friday


The perfectly pinnate leaves of wild senna (Cassia marilandica aka Senna marilandica) are looking just great right now, but that's no surprise--these herbaceous perennials look good all season. I can't understand why this worthy native of the midwest and southeast isn't a more common presence in gardens. It's got distinctive foliage, a nice shrubby size-to 4 or 5 feet high and nearly as wide across-that makes it a good background plant, and it's basically care free (though it may need staking in shade). Plus it good for tough clay soils. And it's even easy from seed. What more could you want? Oh yes, flowers-it's got them too. Towers of yellow flowers top the plant in summer, and then give way to dangling blackish seed pods several inches long.

2 comments:

inadvertent farmer said...

Such lush leaves, just lovely! Kim

Wayne Stratz said...

I love the unfurling that is happening just right of center.