Thermopsis rhombifolia

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Buffalo bean is a hardy prairie perennial.
Buffalo bean is a hardy prairie perennial.

Thermopsis rhombifolia, also known as Golden Bean, Buffalo Bean, Wet Tooth, and Buffalo Flower, is a hardy perennial native to the North American plains.[1] A member of the pea family, it grows in grassland, hillsides, and patchy woodland areas to a height of about 30 cm, and produces bright yellow golden flowers about a centimetre long. The flowers were commonly used by the natives as a source of yellow dye and were boiled in a tea as a cure for stomach ailments for people and horses. The plant has toxic properties if ingested; symptoms of poisoning include vomiting, dizziness, and abdominal pain.[2]

This plant is a beautiful addition to an early spring garden, but is extremely aggressive and must be contained.

[edit] References

  1. ^  Stories and Spaces - Buffalo Bean Retrieved 2006 April 25
  2. ^  Case series of Thermopsis exposure Retrieved 2006 April 25
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