Flower profile
Scarlet sesbane
Sesbania punicea
Scarlet sesbane (Sesbania punicea) is a low shrub in the Fabaceae family, introduced in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–August across the U.S.
Scarlet sesbane is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as introduced in the lower 48 states.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: South Carolina
Quick look
Sesbania punicea is an ornamental shrub with reddish-orange flowers native to South America. It has deciduous leaves and grows to a height of 15 feet. This plant has a high demand for water, and thrives in swamps or wet areas. It requires a mildly acidic soil, with a pH between 6.1 and 6.5.
- It belongs to the Fabaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) / a subshrub with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 11 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as not native to South Carolina. NatureServe
- iNaturalist has 375 research-grade sightings of it in South Carolina, ranking #105 among the 171 flowers on our South Carolina list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G4 Apparently secure worldwide. NatureServe
- South Carolina
- No list South Carolina has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's South Carolina ranks instead. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in South Carolina.
- 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?
NC State Extension lists it as poisonous to humans (severity: high). Poisonous parts: flowers, leaves, seeds. Symptoms they list: “Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, weakness, depression, respiratory failure; may be fatal.” NC State Extension
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 scarlet sesbane in 11 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia.
South Carolina counties with USDA records: Barnwell, Berkeley, Colleton, Dorchester, Florence, Hampton, Horry, Jasper, Lexington, Richland, Sumter.
Names, range and relatives
Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Daubentonia punicea, Sesbania tripetii.
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 154 counties across 11 states; the most are in Florida (39), Louisiana (35), Georgia (27).
Other Sesbania on Bloomipedia (1): Rattlebush.
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 South Carolina flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile SEPU7.
- iNaturalist, Sesbania punicea: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Sesbania punicea (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- South Carolina: South Carolina State Plant Pest List, plants (S.C. Code Regs. 27-135; Clemson Dept. of Plant Industry).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Sesbania punicea (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
- Photo: Celeste Ray via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.