Meet the Yellow Necklacepod
Yellow Necklacepod | Sophora tomentosa
How do you know it’s me?:
I have compound, alternate leaves with a silvery-green color (especially the fresh emerging leaves).
Little oval leaflets make up my compound leaves.
My leaves and stems are covered in a fine fuzz and are velvety soft to the touch, but may become smooth and hairless as they mature (this is an identifier of the occidentalis variety)
I have long spikes of yellow flowers (up to 16" in length)
I am named for my prominent seed pods, which emerge a yellow-green but harden into a woody brown.
I am a multi-trunked shrub and tend to have an irregular form.
How big do I grow?: 4’ - 10’ height and 4’ - 8’ spread.
Sun-seeker or shade-lover: Full sun to part shade.
Where I prefer to put my roots: Moist, well-drained sandy soils. I am drought and salt-tolerant.
Hardiness: Zone 9-11
Original home: I am native to south Florida and south Texas, and my range extends into Central and South America.
Colors: I have yellow flowers and evergreen foliage.
When I bloom: Year-round.
Wildlife friends: My flowers attract a variety of butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and other small birds.
Flora Fun Facts: I am generally found in two varieties: Sophora tomentosa var. truncata (the Florida native) and Sophora tomentosa var. occidentalis (the Texas native). The two can cross-pollinate. It's recommended that gardeners select the variety native to their region for the greatest ecological benefit!
More Info: The Necklacepod isn't a show-stopper, by any means... but its buttery yellow blooms catch the eye of both people and pollinators and provide some color throughout the year. When the fine hairs of its silver-green foliage catch the light, the plant almost appears as if it's sparkling.
Flowers typical of the legume/pea family (Fabaceae).
The seeds are poisonous.
Tough plant suited to various coastal conditions. It is a great choice for a pollinator garden or a loose hedge.
It can take on a leggy form with age, but can handle light pruning to combat this.
