The partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata) is a sprawling plant with fronds that resemble mimosa. It is sometimes called a “sensitive pea” because when touched its leaves tend to fold in on themselves. They respond to daylight, too, opening up in the morning and then folding back in the late afternoon.
The partridge pea has yellow flowers with five petals and a narrow splash of red at their center. Their flowers grow in a vertical row running up their stems. In addition to dune environments, the partridge pea is common in prairies and often planted in flower gardens for both its myriad blooms and distinctive foliage.
