Pygmy Peashrub
Caragana pygmaea
Family: Fabaceae or Leguminosae
What it is like
Bloom Color: Yellow. Main Bloom Time: Early spring, Late spring, Mid spring. Form: Weeping.
Caragana pygmaea is a deciduous Shrub growing to 1.2 m (4ft) at a slow rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3. It is in flower in May, and the seeds ripen in September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees. It can fix Nitrogen. It is noted for attracting wildlife. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.
Height (m): 1.2
Where it is found
Desert land at high altitudes with virtually no rain in the growing season, 3600 - 4800 metres.
E. Asia - China, Himalayas, Siberia
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 1
Root - cooked. An emergency food, used when all else fails.
Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating: 2
The shoots are very flexible, they are used like string for tying. The wood is used for fuel.
Fuel: Usually wood, plant materials that have been mentioned as being a good fuel.
String: Plants that can be used for string or can be easily made into a string. See also Fibre. Plants for ropes may be included.
Attracts Wildlife: Plants noted for attracting wildlife
Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.
Nitrogen Fixer: Plants that fix nitrogen in the soil
How it is grown
Landscape Uses:Border, Container, Specimen. Prefers full sun and a light sandy dry or very well-drained soil. Does not require a rich soil, succeeding on marginal land. Tolerant of dry alkaline soils. A very ornamental plant, it prefers a continental climate with hot summers and cold winters, it does not grow so well in mild maritime areas such as the western half of Britain. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby. Special Features:Not North American native, Attractive flowers or blooms. The plant is heat tolerant in zones 7 through 5. (Plant Hardiness Zones show how well plants withstand cold winter temperatures. Plant Heat Zones show when plants would start suffering from the heat. The Plant Heat Zone map is based on the number of "heat days" experienced in a given area where the temperature climbs to over 86 degrees F (30°C). At this temperature, many plants begin to suffer physiological damage. Heat Zones range from 1 (no heat days) to 12 (210 or more heat days). For example Heat Zone. 11-1 indicates that the plant is heat tolerant in zones 11 through 1.) For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is multistemmed with multiple stems from the crown.
Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. It usually germinates in 2 weeks. Stored seed should be pre-soaked for 24 hours in warm water then sown in a cold frame. If the seed has not swollen then scarify it and re-soak for another 12 hours before sowing. Germination usually takes place within 2 - 3 weeks at 20°c. Good percentage. As soon as they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7 - 10cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Layering in spring.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Sunny Edge;
Habit: Shrub
Hardiness: 3-7
Growth: Slow
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Dry, moist