Habitat

• native to Manchuria and Siberia
• hardy to zone 2

Habit and Form

• a deciduous large shrub to small tree
• typically multistemmed
• upright, erect to spreading branches
• develops an upright, almost columnar shape
• can also be rounded in shape
• up to 20' tall, usually with a lesser width
• typically devoid of branches and foliage at the base

Summer Foliage

• deciduous leaves
• alternate arrangement of evenly pinnate leaves
• leaves are 1.5" to 3" long
• leaves have 8 to 12 leaflets
• leaflets are 0.5" to 1" long
• leaflets are 0.5" to 1' long
• leaflets are ovate to ovoid
• leaves are silky when young
• foliage color matures to a bright green

Autumn Foliage

• yellow-green color
• not impressive

Flowers

• small yellow, pea-like flowers
• blooms in early to mid-May
• held singly or in groups of up to 4
• not overwhelming

Fruit

• a tan legume pod
• cylindrical and slender
• about 1.5" to 2" long
• changes from green to tan in July and August
• pods open forcefully

Bark

• stems are a dark, glossy green
• bark on older branches is also smooth in places, but the color is less vivid

Culture

• full sun
• tolerant of adverse growing conditions
• doesn't mind poor, dry soils
• tolerant of extreme cold
• tolerant of salt
• tolerant of winds
• fixes nitrogen

Landscape Use

• borders
• screen/hedge
• windbreaker
• for difficult growing sites
• container plant due to tolerance of cold and drought

Liabilities

• leaf-hoppers
• a canker disease/affliction
• not an overwhelming ornamental plant

ID Features

• yellow, pea-like flowers
• upright, multistemmed, columnar habit
• even pinnate leaves
• glossy, greenish stems
• spur-like growth on older wood
• twigs with conspicuous decurrent lines
• stipules persist and sometimes are nearly thorn-like

Propagation

• cultivars by cuttings or grafting
• by seed

Cultivars/Varieties

'Lorbergii' - A graceful form with linear leaves and fine texture. Grows to about 8' tall.

'Nana' - A dwarf form with somewhat contorted branches. Maximum height is between 3' to 6'. Tends to have dense foliage and more blossoms than the species.

'Pendula' (Weeping Peashrub) - A weeping form with stiffly arching branches. Typically grafted onto a standard at 4' to 6' from the ground. A fairly nice form that can be used as a specimen. Foliage and flowering is similar to the species. This is a very common form often seen in commerce as a small tree. 'Walker' is a weeping form with finely dissected foliage.