# Rattlebush (*Sesbania drummondii*)

Rattlebush is a fun plant with bright yellow flowers and long, green pods that rattle in the wind! It loves to grow in wet places and is great for attracting butterflies.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** Wetlands

![Rattlebush](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/SesbaniadrummondiiPlant.jpg&width=800)

Photo: CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SesbaniadrummondiiPlant.jpg)

## Appearance

The Rattlebush has tall, slender green stems and delicate feather-like leaves. Its bright yellow, pea-shaped flowers bloom in clusters, later forming distinctive long, segmented pods that turn brown and dry as they mature.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Fabales
- **Family:** Fabaceae
- **Genus:** Sesbania

## Interesting facts

- Its scientific name honors Thomas Drummond, a Scottish botanist who explored North America!
- Rattlebush can grow over 10 feet tall in just one growing season, reaching for the sun!
- The tiny seeds of the Rattlebush can stay hidden in the soil for many years before sprouting!
- This plant is sometimes called 'Coffeebean' because its seeds have a similar shape to coffee beans!

## Special abilities

- **Soil Booster:** Rattlebush has special roots that add nitrogen to the soil, making it richer and helping other plants grow stronger.
- **Seed Shaker:** Rattlebush has dry, segmented seed pods that rattle loudly when shaken, helping to disperse its seeds far and wide.
- **Quick Starter:** Rattlebush can grow incredibly fast, reaching mature size in a single season to quickly colonize open or disturbed areas.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 100-300 cm
- **Spread:** 50-150 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer, Fall
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** High
- **Lifecycle:** Annual
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers for nectar and pollen.
- **Symbiotic with:** Rhizobium bacteria (*Rhizobium leguminosarum*) — Forms root nodules for nitrogen fixation.
- **Eaten by:** Beet Armyworm (*Spodoptera exigua*) — Larvae feed on leaves and stems.

## Traits

- [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Nitrogen Fixing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nitrogen-fixing): Describes organisms capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen into compounds usable by plants.
- [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.
- [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't touch plants without asking an adult first.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Rattlebush?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Rattlebush?

100-300 cm

### How wide does Rattlebush spread?

50-150 cm

### How big are the flowers on Rattlebush?

1-2 cm

### When does Rattlebush bloom?

Summer, Fall

### Is Rattlebush edible?

No

### Is Rattlebush toxic?

High

### What is Rattlebush's lifecycle?

Annual

## Where to spot

- [Brunswick Old Town Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brunswick-old-town-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District
- [Pace Bend Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pace-bend-park) — Texas, US · Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

---

Source: [Rattlebush: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rattlebush)