Desert Senna

Also known as: Desert Senna, Cove's Senna, Coues' Senna

Desert Senna is a rounded, many-branched perennial subshrub with fine-textured, grey-green pinnate leaves. It produces bright yellow, cup-shaped flowers with contrasting brown stamens in small clusters from late spring to autumn, often peaking after summer rains. The blossoms attract bees and butterflies, and the plant has a naturally airy, soft structure. It makes an excellent drought-tolerant addition to sunny desert-style borders and banks.

Desert Senna

Scientific classification

Species: Desert Senna (Senna covesii)
Genus: Information to be completed
Family: Fabaceae

Leaves and seeds may be toxic if ingested in quantity; keep away from children and pets.
Toxicity: Perennial · Shrubs
Plant type: 0.3 - 0.6 metres
Height: 0.3 - 0.6 metres
Spread: Semi evergreen
Foliage: Upright · Bushy
Habit: Spring · Summer · Autumn
Season of interest: Full sun
Sunlight: 20 – 30 °C
Ideal temperature

Desert Senna pictures

Information to be completed

Distribution of Desert Senna

Distribution map

Plant distribution

Native
Introduced
Cultivated

“Cultivated” is a display category for regions without a native or introduced record, not verified cultivation coverage. Antarctica is shown in white.

Source：WCVP v16 · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · CC BY 3.0 · Boundaries：WGSRPD / TDWG

Culture

Information to be completed

Toxicity

Leaves and seeds may be toxic if ingested in quantity; keep away from children and pets.

Quick identification of Desert Senna

Information to be completed

Desert Senna care guide

Allow soil to dry out thoroughly between deep waterings
Watering: Full sun
Sunlight: 20 – 30 °C
Ideal temperature

Watering

Allow soil to dry out thoroughly between deep waterings

Fertilizing

Little or no fertilizer required; container plants may be fed monthly at half strength during the growing season

Pruning

In early spring, lightly trim dead, damaged or frost-scorched stems to maintain a compact shape. Avoid cutting hard into old woody growth.

Propagation

Sow seed in spring after hot-water treatment or scarification, at about 20-25°C. Semi-ripe cuttings can also be rooted in summer from non-flowering shoots in free-draining compost.

Growing

Grow in full sun and well-drained, sandy or loamy soil in a sheltered, warm site. Once established it is very drought tolerant; water deeply but infrequently and allow the soil to dry out between waterings. Little or no fertilizer is needed. In cool temperate gardens it is best grown in containers and overwintered under glass, or given a dry, protected position in sharply drained soil.

More growing and care information →