Caragana arborescens (Siberian Peashrub)
| Also known as: | Siberian Pea Tree |
|---|---|
| Genus: | Caragana |
| Family: | Fabaceae (Pea) |
| Life cycle: | perennial woody |
| Origin: | Asia |
| Status: |
|
| Habitat: | part shade, sun; roadsides, forest edges, open woods, urban landscapes; planted as a windbreak |
| Bloom season: | May - June |
| Plant height: | 6 to 18 feet |
| Wetland Indicator Status: | none |
| MN county distribution (click map to enlarge): |  |
| National distribution (click map to enlarge): |  |
Pick an image for a larger view. See the glossary for icon descriptions.
Detailed Information
Flower: 
![[photo of flowers]](/udata/r9ndp23q/pd3/caragana-arborescens-1-2.jpg)
1 to 5 long-stalked flowers bundled in leaf axils of the numerous lateral branchlets. Flowers are yellow, about ¾ inch long, pea-shaped, the upper petal (standard) broad, mostly ascending, the sides often curled back, the 2 lateral petals (wings) broad and much longer than the lower petal (keel). The calyx surrounding the base of the flower is tubular, about 1/3 the length of the flower, silky hairy, with 5 small triangular lobes. Stalks are ¾ to 2 inches long and silky hairy. Flowers are fragrant.
Leaves and stems:
![[photo of leaves]](/udata/r9ndp23q/trees/caragana-arborescens-siberian-pea-shrub_0703_121711.jpg)
Leaves are compound with 8 to 12 leaflets, lack a terminal leaflet, 3 to 5 inches long, alternate or whorled at the tips of branches and lateral branchlets. Leaflets are ½ to 1 inch long, generally elliptic, rounded at the tip with a minute sharp point at the apex (mucronate), toothless and stalkless. Surfaces and leaf stalks are silky hairy when young, becoming smooth with age, the upper leaf surface bright to dark green, the lower surface paler. At the base of the leaf node is often a pair of spine-like appendages (stipules) up to 3/8 inch long. New branches are smooth and shiny, olive green to yellowish brown with older bark darker gray. Stems are usually multiple from the base with branches and leaves all the way to the base.
Fruit:
![[photo of fruit]](/udata/r9ndp23q/pd3/caragana-arborescens_079865-2.jpg)
Fruit is a slender, straight, bean-like pod 1 to 2 inches long that ripens from green to yellow to brown and contains 3 to 6 reddish-brown seeds. When mature the pod bursts open, flinging the seeds a few feet from the mother plant, then curls up and persists on the branch.
Notes:
Siberian Peashrub is a shrub or small tree that was commonly planted as a windbreak, for wildlife, and as an ornamental in landscapes, then escaped cultivation and is now considered invasive in many locations, including Minnesota and Wisconsin. While not as problematic or widespread as buckthorn, it does establish itself in forests, woodland edges, savannas and roadsides. It is much more widespread in Minnesota than the distribution maps indicate, since planted populations are not included and the distinction between planted and escaped populations can be ambiguous. You may even have spotted it in campgrounds and trail edges in some of our state parks. It tolerates a wide range of soil and moisture conditions and several cultivars are available in the nursery trade. Siberian Peashrub is easy to identify from the abundant yellow flowers and bean-like fruits, compound leaves that lack a terminal leaflet, and the spine-like stipules at leaf nodes.
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More photos
flowering Siberian Peashrub
fruiting Siberian Peashrub
Siberian Peashrub in a residential landscape
Siberian Peashrub plants
more leaves
flowering branch
flowering Siberian Peashrub
fruiting Siberian Peashrub
Siberian Peashrub in a residential landscape
Siberian Peashrub plants
more leaves
flowering branchPhotos by K. Chayka taken at Wild River State Park, Chisago County. Other photos courtesy Peter M. Dziuk.
Comments
Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it?
on: 2016-08-30 07:42:43
My neighbor has peashrub (or peabush) planted as an ornamental. I can actually hear the fruits snapping open on dry days.
on: 2017-05-26 11:22:46
We have it along the dirt road, the honey bees and birds love it, but it is overgrown and not so pretty in the winter :(
on: 2017-08-24 20:33:04
I have not seen this plant but I'm wondering if there is a Minnesota native plant that has similar attributes especially the nitrogen fixation and a similar size that could be used in place of pea shrub for permaculture plantings with a 3rd attribute of possibly providing fodder for goats sheep chickens and or pigs
on: 2018-08-22 13:43:04
We have one! It is crackling like crazy right now.
on: 2019-06-09 16:54:17
We had one of these in our campsite at Savanna Portage State Park. It attracted numerous hummingbirds, bumblebees, and tiger swallowtail butterflies.
on: 2019-08-07 11:59:06
For people looking for substitutes to this plant perhaps the closest might be the Honey locust. Same hanging beans (claimed to be sweet and edible) hanging down and same nitrogen fixing netted roots that are excellent at holding topsoil in place to slow erosion. I have both and like the Siberian Pea because it has no thorns on it whereas the Locust has thorns.
on: 2019-08-29 06:29:31
Have seen this growing in several areas in the Brainerd lakes area.
on: 2020-06-14 14:45:44
Hey everyone, just be aware that this is now legally considered a noxious weed in Minnesota. Please do not plant it or distribute it. If you have it growing on your property consider replacing it with something else.
on: 2020-08-02 12:36:48
I say it by the Home Depot in Minneapolis, it was planned by a sidewalk by their garden center.
on: 2022-07-04 01:08:17
Saw one today at Leif Erickson Park.
on: 2022-07-24 21:04:37
We planted caragana on our 39 acre virgin property 20 years ago. It started as a hedge for our driveway. It has spread to the hill behind our cabin...it is filled with native plants... yet the caragana seems to be spreading rapidly and I worry about it choking out the natives... it seems to be everywhere. I live right outside Minneapolis on a 30 acre land trust and I have wrestled with it for years ... cut, pull, poison. Please tell me your thoughts and thank you for your help!
on: 2022-07-25 04:23:04
Rochelle, we do not have any expertise in managing this invasive species. Perhaps your county Soil and Water Conservation District can offer advice and/or assistance.
on: 2022-08-25 07:55:56
bought what I thought was a butterfly bush. that's what it said on the tag. from one of them popup garden places you see in front of like supermarkets or strip malls. when it started bering beans it took me some time to find out what was Siberian Peashrub. now it is over 6 ft tall. wrapped around a trellis. going to rip it out
on: 2023-05-19 18:52:08
I have always despised Caragana. Even as a kid, I hated the way it smelled of old peas and rotting silage. At least to me it does. As a master gardener and botanist, I tend to like all plants for the most part, but this shrub has always driven me crazy for some reason. Perhaps part of that dislike is because Caragana is overused, and seems to be extremely ubiquitous. Or, it used to be. It seems to be in almost every yard, and unfortunately, there are hedges of it still used as windbreaks in more rural areas. I am pleased to see that it is now considered invasive, and should be eradicated. I cannot imagine anything more discouraging than finding volunteer Caragana shrubs growing in the wilds of Minnesota. Lol, Can you tell just how much I despise this shrub? I am going to make it my mission to eradicate all Caragana in Pope County! Thank you for such an informational and spectacular website!
on: 2023-07-10 14:00:44
We purchased a property with a wild/natural hill and these are everywhere! How do I get rid of them? I can hardly keep up.
on: 2023-07-10 14:28:17
Erin, the DNR includes some control methods on their invasive species page.
on: 2023-09-20 11:31:28
I planted this shrub as part of wildlife cover packages from the DNR about 30 years ago It is in the process of crowding out everything except sumac. And has created an impenetrable thicket on about 40 acres of land. Is there any solution? There are crabapples and plums still sticking up above the thicket but not that many.
on: 2023-09-20 11:53:12
The DNR's invasive species page lists some control measures.