Flower profile

American sicklepod

Senna obtusifolia

American sicklepod (Senna obtusifolia) is a low shrub in the Fabaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly August–September across the U.S.

Native to Georgia

American sicklepod is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states.

29states where USDA records it

917GA sightings*

4,074U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Georgia

Quick look

Senna obtusifolia, known by common names including Chinese senna, American sicklepod and sicklepod, is a plant in the genus Senna, sometimes separated in the monotypic genus Diallobus. It grows wild in North, Central, and South America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania, and is considered a particularly problematic weed in many places.
From Wikipedia's article Senna obtusifolia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Fabaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) / a subshrub with a annual, perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 29 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to Georgia. ^NatureServe
iNaturalist has 917 research-grade sightings of it in Georgia, ranking #105 among the 183 flowers on our Georgia list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month in Georgia (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (37 records)

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: G5 Secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
Georgia: Not listed Not on Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Georgia. ^{Ga. R. 391-4-10-.09}
Rare elsewhere: No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleCaution: partly edible, partly poisonous

NC State Extension lists it as poisonous to humans (severity: low). Poisonous parts: seeds. Symptoms they list: “TOXIC ONLY IF LARGE QUANTITIES ARE EATEN. Diarrhea, tremors, dark brown urine.” They also note: “Young shoots; only collect plants from areas you know have NOT been treated with pesticides. Gather the young shoots in July or early August. Safe food procedures: soak young shoots in warm water to remove dirt and debris. Do not use dish detergent or any type of sanitizer. These products can leave a residue. The shoots have an unpleasant odor in its raw state but this disappears after cooking. Boil in salted water for five minutes, pour off this first water and add fresh boiling and salted water. Boil for another eight minutes. Serve as a vegetable.” ^{NC State Extension}

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records American sicklepod in 29 states.

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recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin.

Georgia counties with USDA records: Camden, Chatham, Cherokee, Clarke, Cook, DeKalb, Echols, Elbert, Fulton, Grady, Harris, Hart, Houston, Irwin, Jones, Lincoln, McIntosh, Morgan, Muscogee, Taylor.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Hawaii: Introduced; Lower 48 states: Native; Pacific Basin (excluding Hawaii): Introduced; Puerto Rico: Native; U.S. Virgin Islands: Native.

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Cassia obtusifolia.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 368 counties across 25 states; the most are in Louisiana (59), Florida (40), North Carolina (39).

Other Senna on Bloomipedia (3): Lindheimer's senna, Two-leaved senna, Coues' senna.

More from the Fabaceae family (114 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Lupines, White clover, Red clover, Eastern redbud, Purple crownvetch, Bird's-foot trefoil, Partridge pea, White sweetclover.

More Georgia flowers

Eastern redbud

Cercis canadensis

Native

🌼 Blooms in GA: March–April

White clover

Trifolium repens

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in GA: March–June

Persian silk tree

Albizia julibrissin

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in GA: May–July

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile SEOB4.
iNaturalist, Senna obtusifolia: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Senna obtusifolia (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Georgia: Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Senna obtusifolia (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
Photo: Nonbinary-Naturalist via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized.