Learn popcorn plant care. It’s easy!

Kids love to garden and if you grow the popcorn cassia (Senna didymobotrya) yours will love it even more.

Not only does the shrub’s foliage smell like popcorn but the fragrance of the cheerful yellow flowers resembles peanut butter.

These are all attractive attributes for kids so warn them that the plant isn’t edible. In fact, all parts of the cassia popcorn are poisonous and ingesting them may be fatal. 

A perennial plant, popcorn cassia is hardy to U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 11. Find your growing zone here.

 Popcorn plant characteristics

Popcorn cassia takes its nickname from the fact that it was once classified in the Cassia genus. It is a tropical plant, which is evident in its feathery, fern-like foliage. The shrub’s buttery yellow flowers spring from black buds in spring through late summer.

Arrayed along a tall flower spike, the flowers on the bottom open first.

Popcorn cassia is capable of growing to 25 feet in height but typically tops out between 6 and 10 feet. Cassias are members of the legume family of plants.

The shrub bears seeds prolifically and the seeds travel and infest watersheds, oak woodlands and grasslands. For this reason, it is considered invasive.

Do popcorn plants need full sun?

 The popcorn plant requires a full-sun location with consistently moist, well-drained soil.

While the cassia popcorn will tolerate drought conditions it is more attractive when it receives moisture consistently. Never allow the soil to dry out completely.

Fertilize the shrub in spring when you see new growth with a fertilizer that is low in nitrogen and high in phosphorous, such as 3-12-6. Mix 1 teaspoon of the fertilizer per gallon of water and pour the solution on the soil, 6 inches away from the base of the shrub to 1 foot beyond its widest point.

Popcorn cassia doesn’t require pruning and isn’t bothered by insect pests or wildlife.

Grow the popcorn plant from seed

If you live outside of popcorn cassia’s hardiness zones growing it from seed is too slow a process for you. Your best bet is to purchase a seedling from the nursery. Online plant retailers carry them as well.

Wait until after the last frost date in your area, when air temperatures remain above 61 degrees Fahrenheit to plant popcorn plant seeds.

Soak the seed in water for 24 hours to soften the seed coat. Then, plant the seeds 2 feet apart on the surface of the soil and sprinkle a one-eighth-inch layer of soil over them. Water often enough to keep the soil slightly moist.