Rattlebox (Sesbania punicea): An Invasive Beauty

Rattlebox (Sesbania punicea): An Invasive Beauty

A plant with attractive flowers was identified as rattlebox, Sesbania punicea. This deciduous shrub or small tree produces showy orange-red flowers and inflated seed pods that rattle when dry.

While ornamental, it's considered invasive in many areas, particularly in wetlands and along waterways. It spreads aggressively by seed and can form dense thickets.