Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Desert Cassia
Desert Cassia is a rounded Australian shrub with narrow, deep green, needle-like leaves. From late winter into spring it covers itself in bright yellow pea-like flowers that bees visit. It grows fast to about 6 feet tall and wide, takes full sun and reflected heat, and needs little water once rooted. Use it as a background shrub, an informal screen or a mass planting.
Best for: background shrubs, informal screens and mass plantings, hot spots with reflected heat, and bee-friendly yards on little water.
It grows fast to about 6 feet tall and wide in a rounded shape. Planted 6 to 8 feet apart, it works as a background shrub or informal screen.
Planted in groups, it fills a bed with bright yellow flowers from late winter into spring. Bees visit the flowers often.
It takes full sun and reflected heat, so it suits hot beds along walls and drives. Once it is rooted, a deep soak about once or twice a month in summer is enough.
Brown seed pods follow the flowers and hang on the plant, so trim them off right after bloom. Frequent shearing cuts down the bloom, and roots can rot in soil that drains poorly.
- Mass planting or screen6 ft apart
- Spaced background shrubs8 ft apart
Water every 3 to 4 days for the first two weeks. Then stretch it to every 6 to 7 days, then every 7 to 10 days, and every 10 to 14 days by about week 8.
Once rooted, give it a deep soak about once or twice a month in summer and less in winter. Too much water makes it leggy and yellow and can rot the roots.
Prune lightly right after it blooms to cut off the seed pods. Pods left on the plant can reseed. Pruning later in the year removes next spring's flowers, and frequent shearing cuts the bloom.
Once rooted it needs little or no fertilizer and little extra water. Too much water makes it grow leggy.
It takes more cold than feathery or silvery cassia, rated from about 0°F to 20°F. On a rare colder night, cover it with frost cloth that reaches the ground and take it off in the morning.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
Is Desert Cassia the same as Cassia nemophila?
Yes. It is sold as Cassia nemophila or Senna nemophila, and its current name is Senna artemisioides subspecies filifolia. Ask for any of these names at a nursery.
How big does Desert Cassia get?
It grows about 6 feet tall and wide. Extra water makes it grow faster and larger, so water sparingly if you want it to stay compact.
How far apart should I plant Desert Cassia?
Plant it about 6 to 8 feet apart, center to center. Use 6 feet for a screen or mass planting and 8 feet for spaced background shrubs.
When does Desert Cassia bloom?
It blooms from late winter into spring, when bright yellow pea-like flowers cover the plant and bees visit them. Save any pruning for right after the bloom.
Is Desert Cassia more cold hardy than Feathery Cassia?
Yes, it is rated more cold hardy than Feathery Cassia and Silvery Cassia, with ratings from about 0°F to 20°F. Choose it for colder spots in the yard.
What are the brown pods?
They are seed pods, which follow the flowers, turn brown and papery, and add some litter. Trim them off lightly right after bloom if you want a tidier plant.
When should I prune Desert Cassia?
Prune it only right after it blooms, when a light trim also removes the pods. Pruning later in the year cuts off next spring's flowers.
Can I cut back an overgrown Desert Cassia?
Yes. Right after bloom it can be cut back hard to renew it, by up to about half. Leave some leaves so it can regrow.
How often should I water Desert Cassia?
Once rooted, give it a deep soak about once or twice a month in summer. Too much water makes it leggy and yellows the leaves, so let the soil dry between soaks.
What soil does it need?
It needs soil that drains. It handles heavier soil if you water deeply and not often, but roots can rot where water stands, so avoid low spots.
How is Desert Cassia different from Feathery Cassia?
Desert Cassia has deep green, needle-like leaves and is rated more cold hardy. Feathery Cassia has silver-gray leaves and fragrant flowers. Pick Desert Cassia for green foliage and colder spots.
Does Desert Cassia have thorns?
No. It has no thorns, so it is easy to plant along a walk or patio.
Desert Cassia for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Desert Cassia is the green-leaved Australian cassia, sold as Cassia nemophila and now named Senna artemisioides subspecies filifolia. It grows fast, blooms bright yellow from late winter into spring, and takes full sun and reflected heat on little water. Here is what to expect from its size, spacing, bloom, pruning and watering, and how it compares with Feathery Cassia.
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What is Desert Cassia?
Desert Cassia is an Australian shrub sold as Cassia nemophila, now named Senna artemisioides subspecies filifolia. It has narrow, deep green, needle-like leaves and a rounded shape, and it keeps its leaves all year.
How big does Desert Cassia get in Phoenix?
It grows fast to about 6 feet tall and wide. Extra water pushes it to grow faster and larger, but too much water makes it leggy.
When does Desert Cassia bloom?
It blooms from late winter into spring with bright yellow pea-like flowers that bees visit often. Brown seed pods follow the flowers.
How far apart do you plant Desert Cassia?
Plant them about 6 to 8 feet apart, center to center. That works for a screen row, a background planting or a mass planting.
When should you prune Desert Cassia?
Prune only right after bloom. A light trim removes the seed pods, and a harder cut of up to about half renews an overgrown plant. Pruning later cuts off the next bloom.
What is the difference between Desert Cassia and Feathery Cassia?
Desert Cassia has deep green leaves and is rated more cold hardy. Feathery Cassia has silver-gray leaves and fragrant flowers. Both are fast, low-water shrubs that bloom yellow in late winter and spring.
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