# Scorpion Senna (*Hippocrepis emerus*)

Scorpion Senna is a unique plant with bright yellow flowers that look like little scorpions! It grows low to the ground and has pretty, feathery leaves that are fun to touch.

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

![Scorpion Senna](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Fabaceae_-_Hippocrepis_emerus-1.JPG&width=800)

Photo: Hectonichus, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fabaceae_-_Hippocrepis_emerus-1.JPG)

## Appearance

The Scorpion Senna is a medium-sized shrub with vibrant yellow, pea-like flowers clustered in groups. Its dark green leaves are divided into many small leaflets, and its most distinct feature is its curving, brown seed pods resembling a scorpion's tail.

## Taxonomy

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

## Interesting facts

- Its bright flowers make a sweet treat for buzzing bees and butterflies.
- Its unusual seed pods give this plant its creepy cool "scorpion" name!
- This plant masters improving soil, making it healthier for neighboring plants.
- You might find it decorating old castle walls or sunny mountain slopes!

## Special abilities

- **Scorpion Seed Pods:** Scorpion Senna has unique curving seed pods that resemble a scorpion's tail, helping them drop seeds effectively nearby.
- **Drought Survivor:** Scorpion Senna can thrive in dry, rocky soils, using deep roots to find water where others struggle.
- **Soil Enricher:** Scorpion Senna enriches soil by hosting special root bacteria that convert air nitrogen into plant food.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 100-300 cm
- **Spread:** 100-300 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring-Summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honeybee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen
- **Pollinates:** Old World Swallowtail (*Papilio machaon*) — visits flowers for nectar
- **Symbiotic with:** Rhizobia bacteria (*Rhizobium leguminosarum*) — fixes nitrogen in its root nodules
- **Eaten by:** Cowpea aphid (*Aphis craccivora*) — feeds on plant sap

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [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.
- [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground.
- [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health.
- [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [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.

## Collections

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

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't touch plants unless you know they are safe.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Scorpion Senna?

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 Scorpion Senna?

100-300 cm

### How wide does Scorpion Senna spread?

100-300 cm

### How big are the flowers on Scorpion Senna?

1-2 cm

### When does Scorpion Senna bloom?

Spring-Summer

### Is Scorpion Senna edible?

No

### Is Scorpion Senna toxic?

None

### What is Scorpion Senna's lifecycle?

Perennial

## 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*)

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Source: [Scorpion Senna: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/scorpion-senna)