Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Feathery Cassia
Feathery Cassia is a fast-growing Australian shrub with fine, silver-grey, needle-like leaves and a rounded, airy shape. It is one of the first shrubs to bloom in winter, covering itself in fragrant yellow flowers into spring, and bees come to them. It takes full sun and reflected heat on very little water. Plant it in a row for an informal screen or in a group for a mass of winter color.
Best for: informal screens and mass plantings, winter color in hot spots with reflected heat, and bee-friendly desert yards on very little water.
It grows fast to about 6 to 8 feet tall and wide with a rounded, airy shape. Planted 6 to 8 feet apart in a row, it makes a soft, informal screen.
It is one of the earliest shrubs to bloom, with fragrant yellow flowers from winter into spring. It is often massed in groups for that winter color.
It takes full sun and reflected heat, and once rooted it needs a deep soak only about once or twice a month in summer.
Seed pods follow the flowers, add some litter and can reseed if left. Frequent shearing cuts down the bloom, and too much water or poor drainage can rot the roots.
- Informal screen6 ft apart
- Mass planting8 ft apart
Water every 3 to 4 days for the first two weeks. Then stretch it to every 6 to 7 days, 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 is hardy to about 10 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 Feathery Cassia the same as Feathery Senna?
Yes. It was called Cassia artemisioides and has been renamed Senna artemisioides, but nurseries still sell it as cassia. You can ask for it under either name.
How big does Feathery Cassia get?
It grows about 6 to 8 feet tall and wide in a few years, and much larger with a lot of water. Water sparingly if you want it to stay that size.
How far apart should I plant Feathery Cassia?
Plant it about 6 to 8 feet apart center to center. Use 6 feet for an informal screen and 8 feet for a looser mass planting.
When does Feathery Cassia bloom?
It blooms from winter into spring, one of the earliest shrubs to flower, with fragrant yellow flowers that bees visit. Save any pruning for right after the bloom.
What are the brown pods on my cassia?
They are seed pods, which follow the flowers, turn from green to brown and can hang on for months. They add some litter, so trim them off lightly right after bloom.
Does Feathery Cassia reseed?
Yes, it can. Pods left on the plant drop seed that comes up nearby, so prune off the pods after bloom to prevent it.
When should I prune Feathery Cassia?
Right after it finishes blooming in spring. A light trim removes the pods. Pruning later in the year cuts off next winter's flowers.
Can I cut back an overgrown cassia?
Yes. Right after bloom, it can be cut back by up to about half. Leave some leaves on the branches so it can regrow.
Can I shear it into a hedge?
It is better not to, since frequent shearing cuts down the bloom a lot. Let it keep its natural rounded shape, which rarely needs trimming.
How often should I water Feathery Cassia?
Once rooted, give it a deep soak about once or twice a month in summer. Too much water makes it leggy, yellows the leaves and can rot the roots, so let the soil dry between soaks.
How cold hardy is Feathery Cassia?
It is hardy to about 10 to 20°F. Cover young plants with frost cloth on the coldest nights.
Does it have thorns?
No. Feathery Cassia has no thorns, so you can plant it next to walks and patios.
Feathery Cassia for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Feathery Cassia, now named Senna artemisioides, is an Australian shrub grown across the Valley for its fine silver-grey leaves and fragrant winter flowers. It grows fast, takes full sun and reflected heat, and needs very little water once rooted. This page covers its size, spacing, bloom, seed pods, pruning and watering.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
How big does Feathery Cassia get in Phoenix?
It grows fast to about 6 to 8 feet tall and wide in a few years. Heavy watering can push it much larger. Its natural shape is round and airy.
When does Feathery Cassia bloom in Arizona?
It blooms from winter into spring, one of the earliest shrubs to flower. The yellow flowers are fragrant, and bees visit them.
When to prune Feathery Cassia
Prune right after the bloom ends in spring. A light trim removes the seed pods. Pruning later in the year removes the buds for next winter's flowers.
Feathery Cassia seed pods
A heavy crop of seed pods follows the flowers. They turn brown and papery and can hang on for months. Left on the plant, they can reseed.
How far apart do you plant Feathery Cassia?
Plant them about 6 to 8 feet apart center to center. That spacing works for an informal screen or a mass planting.
How often do you water Feathery Cassia?
Once rooted, a deep soak about once or twice a month in summer is enough. Soil that drains well matters, and too much water causes leggy growth and root rot.
Feathery Cassia vs Desert Cassia
Feathery Cassia has silver-grey leaves and fragrant flowers. Desert Cassia has deep green leaves and is rated more cold hardy. Both bloom yellow from late winter into spring.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.