Western Bladdernut, Sierra bladdernut, California bladdernut
Staphylea bolanderi
Family: Staphyleaceae
What it is like
A shrub or small tree. It grows 2-6 m tall. It has long arching branches. The leaves have 3 round leaflets and these have teeth along the edges. The leaflets are 6 cm long. The leaves fall during the year. The flowers are drooping on long stalks. They have 5 white petals. The fruit is an inflated bladder-like capsule 5 cm long. These contain smooth brown seeds.
There are 9 or 10 Staphylea species with 1 in tropical America.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant.
Countries/locations it is found in
North America, USA
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Seeds, seeds - oil, nut