Desert cassia shrub with feathery silver-grey foliage and masses of small golden-yellow flowers

Desert Cassia

Senna artemisioides
Categories:
Shrubs  ·  
Desert Shrubs
Light
Full sun
Water
Low water once established. Water deeply, then allow soil to dry between irrigations; occasional supplemental summer watering improves appearance in Phoenix. Water more regularly during establishment.
Size
3-5 ft tall × 4-6 ft wide
Habit
Rounded shrub
Toxicity
Toxic — Pets & Livestock
Description
An Australian desert shrub, also called feathery cassia, with fine, silvery foliage and abundant golden-yellow flowers; well suited to Phoenix landscapes.
Bloom Time
Late winter to spring; can rebloom in fall
Deciduous / Evergreen
Evergreen
Special Features
Attracts Bees / Pollinators, Colorful Foliage, Drought Tolerant
Growth Rate
Moderate
Growth Habit
Rounded shrub
Mature Size
3-5 ft tall × 4-6 ft wide
Flower Color
Yellow
Foliage Color
Silver-gray
Landscape Use
Border / Bed, Desert / Xeriscape, Foundation Planting, Hedge / Screen
Garden Style
Desert / Xeriscape, Hedge / Formal, Pollinator / Wildlife
Soil
Alkaline Tolerant, Sandy / Rocky, Well-Drained
Companion Plants
Blackfoot daisy, Desert marigold, Globe mallow, Parry's agave, Red yucca, Santa Rita prickly pear
Toxic — Pets & Livestock
Foliage and seeds/pods toxic to pets & livestock if ingested
Care Instructions

Light: Full sun preferred; tolerates light shade but flowers best with ample sunlight.

Water: Low water once established. Water deeply, then allow soil to dry between irrigations; occasional supplemental summer watering improves appearance in Phoenix. Water more regularly during establishment.

Soil: Well-drained sandy, gravelly, or loamy soil; tolerates alkaline desert soils. Avoid poorly drained sites.

Mature size: Typically 4–6 feet tall and 4–6 feet wide.

Bloom: Primarily late winter through spring, sometimes beginning in fall during mild weather.

Evergreen / deciduous: Evergreen; may thin or shed foliage during severe drought or unusual cold.

Growth rate: Moderate to fast with adequate establishment watering.