Maryland senna facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Maryland senna
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Genus:	Senna
Species:	S. marilandica
Binomial name
Senna marilandica (L.) Link (1831, as "marylandica")
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Synonyms
Synonyms Cassia acuminata Moench Cassia marilandica L. Cassia medsgeri Shafer Cassia reflexa Salisb. Cassia succedana Bellardi ex DC. Ditremexa marilandica (L.) Britton & Rose Ditremexa medsgeri (Shafer) Britton & Rose Ditremexa nashii Britton & Rose Senna riparia Raf.

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Senna marilandica, also called the Maryland senna or Maryland wild senna, is a lovely flowering plant. It grows naturally in the United States. This plant blooms during the summer months. It can grow quite tall, sometimes reaching up to six feet high! It likes soil that is average to wet. You can find it from the southeastern U.S. all the way up to the southern Great Lakes region.

About Maryland Senna

The Maryland senna is a perennial plant. This means it lives for more than two years. It comes back year after year. It is known for its bright yellow flowers. These flowers often have black stamens, which are the parts that hold pollen. The plant's leaves are green and divided into many smaller leaflets.

Where It Grows

This plant is native to many parts of the United States. It grows well in the southeastern states. You can also find it in the southern Great Lakes area. It prefers places with enough moisture. This includes areas with average to wet soil. It often grows in fields, along roadsides, and in open woodlands.

A Home for Butterflies

Maryland senna is very important for certain butterflies. It acts as a "host plant" for their caterpillars. This means the caterpillars eat its leaves. It helps them grow and change into butterflies.

Some of the butterflies that use Maryland senna are:

• The cloudless sulphur (Phoebis sennae)
• The orange-barred sulphur (Phoebis philea)
• The sleepy orange (Eurema nicippe)

By planting Maryland senna, you can help these beautiful butterflies. It gives them a safe place to lay their eggs. It also provides food for their young.

Images for kids

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  Flowers showing black stamens and relatively hairless pistils

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  Senna marilandica on the banks of the Cacapon River