The seeds have been used as a coffee substitute; the young shoots yield a green dye. It prefers well-drained soil. The thin, nearly leafless green stalks are common in florist shops, and contain alkaloids similar to the Daturas. Medicinally, it is diuretic and cathartic. With its early spring yellow pea-shaped flowers, it is one of the most attractive plants in our display beds. Nitrogen fixing legume.