Staphylea trifolia (American Bladdernut)
American Bladdernut
Staphylea trifolia (American Bladdernut) is a large, upright-spreading, deciduous shrub or small tree boasting drooping clusters of creamy-white, bell-shaped flowers in mid to late spring. Bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects enjoy the nectar from the daintily pretty flowers. The blossoms give way to interesting egg-shaped, papery seed capsules, 1-2 in. long (2-5 cm), which mature in late summer and often persist into early winter. Resembling Japanese lanterns, they change from green in the summer to light brown during the fall and are quite conspicuous. They can be used in dried flower arrangements. The finely serrated, trifoliate, dark green leaves, 3-6 in. long (7-15 cm), turn golden-yellow in fall, before falling to the ground, revealing the smooth, striated, greenish gray bark, adorned with vertical white fissures. American Bladdernut is a fast-growing, suckering shrub that forms dense colonies in the wild. A wonderful, trouble-free shrub that is perfect at the edge of natural, moist woodland settings.
- Grows up to 10-15 ft. tall (3-5 m) and 10-20 ft. wide (3-6 m).
- Performs best in part shade to full shade in dry to medium, well-drained soils. Tolerates a wide variety of soils including clay soils, dry soils, wet soils, alkaline soils or rocky soils. Drought tolerant once established.
- Great for native plant gardens, naturalized areas, shade gardens, or woodland areas.
- This plant enjoys excellent resistance to pests and diseases.
- Prune immediately after flowering. Propagate by seed or softwood cuttings.
- Propagate by seed, softwood cuttings and hardwood cuttings.
- Native to eastern North America.
Buy Staphylea trifolia (American Bladdernut)
Requirements
Hardiness | 3
– 8 |
---|---|
Plant Type | Shrubs, Trees |
Exposure | Partial Sun, Shade |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Mid,Late) Summer (Late) Fall |
Height | 10' – 15' (3m – 4.5m) |
Spread | 10' – 20' (3m – 6m) |
Water Needs | Low, Average |
Maintenance | Low |
Soil Type | Clay, Loam, Sand |
Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Showy |
Native Plants | United States, Midwest, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Wisconsin, Northeast, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Southeast, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Southwest, Oklahoma |
Tolerance | Clay Soil, Drought, Dry Soil, Rocky Soil, Wet Soil |
Attracts | Butterflies |
Garden Styles | Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow |
Gailhampshire, Maja Dumat, Olive Titus, Flickr
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.
Requirements
Hardiness | 3
– 8 |
---|---|
Plant Type | Shrubs, Trees |
Exposure | Partial Sun, Shade |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Mid,Late) Summer (Late) Fall |
Height | 10' – 15' (3m – 4.5m) |
Spread | 10' – 20' (3m – 6m) |
Water Needs | Low, Average |
Maintenance | Low |
Soil Type | Clay, Loam, Sand |
Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Showy |
Native Plants | United States, Midwest, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Wisconsin, Northeast, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Southeast, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Southwest, Oklahoma |
Tolerance | Clay Soil, Drought, Dry Soil, Rocky Soil, Wet Soil |
Attracts | Butterflies |
Garden Styles | Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow |