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. brevispina – This spiny shrub from Northwestern Himalayas grows 6-10′ feet tall and 12′ feet wide. From long, arching shoots, which are pink tinged when young and covered in fine hairs carry pinnate, fine hairy mid green leaves, 3-4″ long, have up to 10 oblong to lance shaped leaflets. In spring it bears clusters of 2 or 4 yellowish green flowers, to 3/4″ long, becoming reddish yellow with age.
Zones 6-9
