# Scarlet Sesbane (*Sesbania punicea*) The Scarlet Sesbane is a bright and colorful plant with beautiful red flowers. It grows tall and can be found in many warm places, making it a lovely sight in gardens and parks. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 5 - **Habitat:** Wetlands - **Also known as:** Red Sesbania, Scarlet Riverhemp ![Scarlet Sesbane](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/%28MHNT%29_Sesbania_punicea_-_Les_Martels%252C_Giroussens_Tarn.jpg&width=800) Photo: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%28MHNT%29_Sesbania_punicea_-_Les_Martels%252C_Giroussens_Tarn.jpg) ## Appearance The Scarlet Sesbane has vivid, pea-like scarlet to orange-red flowers that droop in showy clusters, standing out against its delicate, feathery green leaves. Its distinct hanging blooms make it easily recognizable in its environment. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Fabales - **Family:** Fabaceae - **Genus:** Sesbania ## Interesting facts - Its name 'punicea' means 'reddish-purple' in Latin, just like its dazzling flowers! - Its unique seed pods look like strings of beads hanging from the branches! - Some insects, like specific weevils, are introduced to control its spread! - This plant is from South America but now grows wild in many warm places! ## Special abilities - **Soil Supercharger:** Scarlet Sesbane has special root bumps that help it pull nitrogen from the air, making the soil richer for growth. - **Rapid Responder:** This plant can grow incredibly fast, shooting up quickly to reach sunlight and spread its seeds before others. - **Toxic Shield:** Scarlet Sesbane produces poisonous chemicals, especially in its seeds, to protect itself from animals that might try to eat it. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 100-400 cm - **Spread:** 150-300 cm - **Flower Size:** 2-3 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring_to_fall - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** High - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Gathers nectar from its bright red flowers. - **Pollinates:** [Monarch butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — Visits flowers for nectar during migration. - **Eats:** Sesbania seed weevil (*Piezotrachelus varium*) — Weevil larvae feed on and destroy its seeds. ## 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. - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [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 Scarlet Sesbane? 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 Scarlet Sesbane? 100-400 cm ### How wide does Scarlet Sesbane spread? 150-300 cm ### How big are the flowers on Scarlet Sesbane? 2-3 cm ### When does Scarlet Sesbane bloom? Spring_to_fall ### Is Scarlet Sesbane edible? No ### Is Scarlet Sesbane toxic? High ### What is Scarlet Sesbane's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/armstrong-redwoods-state-natural-reserve) — California, US · State Park - [Jackson Street Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jackson-street-historic-district) — Louisiana, US · Historic District - [Southeast Gainesville Residential District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/southeast-gainesville-residential-district) — Florida, US · Historic District - [Kingstree Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kingstree-historic-district) — South Carolina, US · Historic District - [Westside Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/westside-park) — South Carolina, US · Park [View all places to see Scarlet Sesbane](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/scarlet-sesbane) ## 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: [Scarlet Sesbane: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/scarlet-sesbane)