Sesbania drummondii, or Rattlebush, is a perennial woody shrub with hanging clusters of yellow pea flowers that yield long seed pods. When mature, the seeds rattle around inside the pods when shaken, giving the plant its common name. Unfortunately, the seeds are toxic. The shrub reaches up to 10 feet in height and is widely branched with pinnate leaves. Flowers appear from late spring to early fall. It thrives along ditches and pond edges that offer moist soil. Researchers have explored its use in phytoremediation because of its ability to take up lead from contaminated soil. In Galveston, it tends to line the marshy collections of water that lie behind some back dunes. S. drummondii is one of four species of Sesbania common on the Texas coast.
References
Israr, M., Sahi, S. (2008). Promising role of plant hormones in translocation of lead in Sesbania drummondii shoots. Environmental Pollution 153(1): 29-36.
Richardson, A. (2013). Wildflowers and other plants of Texas beaches and islands. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press.
