Colutea arborescens
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- KLETH-rah far-GHEE-zee-eye
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Common Bladder Senna is a deciduous, flowering, perennial shrub with a rounded habit in the Fabaceae or bean family that grows to 8 to 10 feet high. Yellow pea-like flowers appear in spring on the current season's growth and will often continue to bloom sparsely and intermittently throughout the summer. Flowers give way to inflated, bladder-like, 3 inch long seed pods (hence the common name). The genus name comes from the Greek word kolutea for these shrubs.
Common Bladder Senna prefers full sun and tolerates a range of soil types from course to fine. It will do well in average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils. It can be quite aggressive and is considered weedy in some areas, but it takes well to pruning to control growth in late winter to early spring. It does not do well in hot, humid conditions, but is noted for its drought tolerance.
Common Bladder Senna is often grown as an ornamental and because it has a root structure of about 20 inches, it can be used as a hedge or to control erosion. It is typically sold as a bare root plant, but can be propagated from cuttings or seed.
Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:
No known diseases or insect pests.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Colutea
- Species:
- arborescens
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- used as animal food
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Root Cutting
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Central and Southern Europe
- Distribution:
- Asia, California, Arizona and Utah.
- Wildlife Value:
- Attracts wildlife.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 6 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Mounding
- Multi-stemmed
- Rounded
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Coarse
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Dry
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Pink
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Legume
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- Flowers give way to inflated, bladder-like, 3 inch long seed pods which exhibit variable coloration (green to pink to bronze to purple).
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Orange
- Pink
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Small flowers may be pink, yellow, or orange appear in May borne on 2 to 4 inch long racemes. Flowers appear in spring, but often continue to bloom sparsely and intermittently throughout the summer.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Rough
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Obovate
- Ovate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Compound, odd-pinnate, 3 to 6 inch, bright green leaves; 9 to 13 leaflets, and non-showy fall color.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Slope/Bank
- Walkways
- Landscape Theme:
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Hedge
- Screen/Privacy
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Erosion
- Poor Soil
- Problems:
- Weedy
