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Rattlebox or Spanish Gold
Sesbania punicea
32.1606, -81.1002
Field Notes
Description:
Sesbania punicea (Spanish gold, rattlebox) is an ornamental shrub that produces reddish orange flowers, has deciduous leaves and grows to 15 feet high. The flowers are shaped like pea flowers, between 2–3 cm long and are commonly a red-orange or red-purple color. These flowers are often found in a raceme fashion. Characteristic of the Faboaceae family, this species has 5 fused sepals, and 5 free petals. The flower always contains 10 stamens, sometimes with various combinations of fused filaments.
Habitat:
This species is native to Brazil and a few other South American countries such as Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. It has spread to parts of Africa, other parts of South America, and many coastal southern United States. This plant has a high demand for water, and thrives in swamps or high-moisture areas. It also requires a mildly acidic soil to grow in, ranging between 6.1-6.5 pH. This one was growing in an old rice paddy at the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge.
Notes:
The flowers begin to appear in the late spring and persist until the autumn. In the United States the blooming period for this species is between June and September, whereas in South Africa they are blooming between November and January. This is an invasive species in the United States.
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