Description
Caragana – Peashrub –
There are about 80 species of deciduous, often spiny shrubs or small trees, in this genus. They occur on dry soils in exposed sites from Eastern Europe to Central and Eastern Asia. They are grown for their leaves, which are alternate, pinnate, and often clustered at the branch tips, and their pea-like flowers, which are usually yellow, but sometimes white or pink held singly or in small clusters borne in spring and summer. Flowers are followed in autumn by slender straw colored pods, 3/4-2 ½” long. Grow in a shrub border or as windbreaks.
Grow in well drained, moderately fertile soil in full sun. Will thrive even in neutral to slightly alkaline, dry soils in cold and exposed sites. Best where climates have cold winter and hot, dry summers. May become weedy.
C. arborescens ‘Lorbergii’ – Siberian Pea Tree – Siberian Pea Shrub – This erect, thorny shrub or small tree grows 10-20′ feet tall and 12′ feet wide. It produces pinnate, soft, fresh green leaves, 10-14″ long, composed of up of linear-lance, bristly tipped leaflets. Stems are covered with very fine hairs. From late spring to early summer it bears pale yellow flowers, to 1/2″ long, are carried singly or in small clusters.
Zones 3-9
