Caragana frutex
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- ka-ra-GAH-nah FRU-teks
- Description
-
Russian peashrub is a perennial native to Asia in the Fabaceae (bean) family. It grows 2- 10 feet tall and nearly as wide. The yellow spring flowers and peapod-like fruits are its best features. This plant does best in climates with hot summers and cold winters with a clear movement from one season to the other. It may become frost-damaged in more temperate climates.
Russian peashrub prefers full sun in sandy well-drained soils. It is tolerant of drought, wind, salt, and because of its nitrogen-fixing ability, poor soils.
Use this plant in difficult sunny locations as slopes and poor soil as a hedge or for privacy. It will also help to improve the soil
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems
VIDEO created by Grant L. Thompson for “Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines for Landscaping” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Horticulture at Iowa State University.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Globosa'
More compact
- 'Globosa'
- 'Globosa'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Globosa'
More compact
- 'Globosa'
- 'Globosa'
- Tags:
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-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Caragana
- Species:
- frutex
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- China to Bulgaria
- Distribution:
- Altay, Bulgaria, Central European Rus, East European Russia, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Krasnoyarsk, Krym, North Caucasus, South European Russi, Ukraine, West Siberia, Xinjiang
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Perennial
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 3 feet-6 feet
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Legume
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Pea-like pods are 1.5-2 inches long with 3-5 seeds. The pod splits open when mature.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Lipped
- Flower Petals:
- 2-3 rays/petals
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Bright yellow 1/2 to 1-inch pea-shaped flowers occur May and June. They are usuall single but can occur in clusters of 2-3.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Cuneate
- Obovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Palmate alternate compound leaves with 4 leaflets that are obovate to cuneate, apex rounded to emarginate. They are 1/4- 1 inches long. They turn yellow in fall.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Green
- Light Gray
- Bark Description:
- The bark is green with pale horizontal lenticels. Turns gray with age.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Round
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Lenticels:
- Conspicuous
- Stem Description:
- Stems are green aging to gray.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Slope/Bank
- Design Feature:
- Barrier
- Hedge
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Diseases
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Insect Pests
- Poor Soil
- Salt
- Wind
