Caragana arborescens – Siberian Pea shrub

Description

Caragana arborescens is a tough, cold-hardy shrub or small tree that produces edible legumes and enriches the soil through nitrogen fixation. Native to Siberia and northern China, it’s valued for its resilience, productivity, and ability to thrive in poor or degraded soils — making it an excellent choice for agroforestry systems, shelterbelts, and dryland food plantings.

In spring, it bears abundant yellow pea-like flowers that are followed by slender pods containing small, round seeds. These seeds are edible when cooked — traditionally boiled or roasted — and offer a rare source of protein from a perennial legume that thrives in cold climates. The young pods may also be eaten whole when tender. This is a plant with real practical value for those building resilient, low-input food systems.

Fast-growing and adaptable, Caragana reaches 3–5 metres tall, forming a dense, shrubby form. It tolerates drought, wind, and extreme cold (down to –40°C), and prefers full sun and free-draining soils. Well suited to the South Island and colder or inland parts of the North. It coppices readily and responds well to pruning, making it useful in hedgerows or as part of a managed firewood or fodder rotation.

Germination and Cold Stratification:
Seeds have a hard coat. Nick them with a blade or pour just-boiled water over them and soak 12–24 hours. Then stratify at 1–5°C for 6–8 weeks. Sow into warm soil (18–25°C). Germination typically takes 1–3 weeks.

Outdoor Stratification Tip:
Sow in autumn in trays or pots and leave outdoors in a rodent-proof spot. Winter chill will naturally prepare the seeds, and germination should occur in spring as the soil warms.