Wild senna Seeds ,Perennial WILDFLOWER

Senna hebecarpa, attract butterflies, bumble bees and other native bees.

Wild Senna (Senna Hebecarpa) - Senna is an herb. The leaves and the fruit of the plant are used to make medicine. This native, long-lived, yellow flowering perennial is found in the eastern third of the United States. A unique specimen plant for the border! Long-lived and hardy. Tolerant of hot, dry sites once established. It is excellent for native gardens and meadows as well as conservation plantings. Plants grow up to six feet tall and produce yellow flowers in summer, which attract butterflies, bumble bees and other native bees. Seeds are eaten by some game birds such as quail and turkey. Plants prefer damp, fertile soils but will tolerate drier sites.

Senna is an herb that contains compounds called anthraquinones, which are powerful laxatives. In fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved senna as a nonprescription laxative. Additionally, senna has been found to be effective for cleansing the bowel prior to undergoing colonoscopy when used in conjunction with other agents.

Indoors: Cold, moist stratification. Start at least 5 weeks before outdoor night temperatures are reliably in the 10 C (50 F) range. Mix the seed with a slightly moistened, sterile, soil-less growing mix. Put this in a labelled, sealed plastic bag and store in a refrigerator for one day. The next day place this in the freezer for one day. Repeat this for one week, alternating between the fridge and the freezer. After stratifying, plant seed 0.32 cm (1/8 inch) deep in pots. Keep moist but not soggy and very warm (21 C - 70 F). When seedlings are 5 cm (2 inches) tall or more, transplant into the garden spaced 30 cm (1 foot) apart.

Outdoors: Plant seed 3 mm (1/8 inch) deep in a prepared seed bed in late fall so that the seed overwinters and germinates naturally in spring.

Outdoors Alternative: In late fall through to mid-winter fill plastic pots with a slightly moistened, sterile, soil-less growing mix. Plant seed 3 mm (1/8 inch) deep in pots and label the pots. Place them outdoors in an area where they will experience the snow and cold of winter. The seed will germinate in the pots in spring as the weather warms up. Be sure to water the pots regularly in spring and once the plants are 5 cm (2 inches) tall, transplant them into your garden. Select your desired size and color from the available option