Golden Pea, Prairie Golden Banner, Golden Bean, Thermopsis rhombifolia, Pea Family (Fabaceae)

The Bloom Blog
Blooming this week in the environs of Abiquiú
By Wildflowers of the Southern Rocky Mountains

Found in sandy areas in ponderosa pine and aspen forests
Seen blooming in May in Bandelier National Monument

Growing in large patches, these stout plants grow to 18 inches and have stalks covered in hairs. With leaves consisting of 3 leaflets, the flowers are a bright yellow and form clusters resembling a lupine. The fruit is a greyish-brown, hairy, curved pod. Blooming in early May through June, the Golden Pea is a source of nectar for butterflies, a food source for caterpillars and they provide pollen for bees. Flowers and seeds are poisonous and should not be eaten. The Golden Pea has cultural significance to Native Americans. It is also known by other names, such as the Buffalo Bean and wudzi-eh-ka, meaning buffalo-flower, by the Blackfoot, because they bloom in spring during the time when the buffalo leave their wintering grounds and go out on the prairies. When brewed as a tea, the Golden Pea has been used to treat stomach diseases in both humans and horses. It is also used as a yellow dye. Source.

If you are trying to identify a different flower then you can check what other flowers bloom this month. If you cannot identify a flower from the website, send a photo and where you took it to [email protected]. Read online for tips.