Caragana arborescens 

'Siberian Pea Tree'

Fabaceae/Leguminosae: a perennial shrub or small tree to 6m. found on river banks, pebbles, sands, open forests and forest edges, gully slopes and stony slopes. Fragrant yellow pea like flowers bloom from May-June. The fruits are legumes which contain many seeds. The leaves vary from light green to dark green, and are alternate and compound with many small leaflets. Native to Eastern Asia - Siberia to Mongolia. Occasionally naturalized in Europe in France.

USES:

The seed are small but produced in abundance, there are 4-6 seeds per pod. They have a bland flavour, and are best used in spicy dishes. The raw seed has a mild pea-like flavour. The young pods can also be cooked and used as a vegetable.

he whole plant, known as ning tiao, is used in the treatment of cancer of the breast, and the orifice to the womb, and for dysmenorrhoea and other gynaecological problems.

GROWING INFORMATION:

Although these seeds have only a very shallow dormancy they have a hard seed coat and require pre-treatment for successful germination to occur. Without pre-treatment, it is likely that 10% or less of the seeds will germinate. A combination of a variety of seed pre-treatments is usually necessary to make the seed coat permeable so that the seed embryo can take up water and begin to germinate.

The first (and easiest) method is place the seeds in a container and pour warm (not boiling!) water over them and leave them to soak for between 12-24 hours. Seeds that have been successfully pre-treated will have swollen to around 2-3 times their previous size. Remove all swollen seeds as these will be damaged by further pre-treatments. These can be sown immediately. This warm water treatment can be repeated up to 3 times, making the water a little hotter each time. Seeds that remain small need to be dried for further treatment.

Seeds that have swelled should be ready to germinate and will take 3-4 weeks in temperatures of 20°C. Seed that have not taken up water can be cold stratified for up to around 4 weeks. To do this mix the seeds with a small amount of 50/50 compost and sharp sand -this must be moist but not enough to be able to squeeze out water with your hand. Put the mixture of seeds and compost in a loosely tied freezer bag and place in the fridge for 4 weeks. After this time the seeds are ready for sowing.

Sow in pots or seed trays of good quality compost at a depth of about 1cm (just less than 1/2 inch) The seed usually germinates in under 4 weeks at 15-20°C. Germination and growth are usually quick and plants may grow to between 15-45cm (6-18 inches) during their first season. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late summer if they have made sufficient growth, otherwise during the following year.

Succeeds in most well-drained soils, preferring full sun and a light sandy dry or well-drained soil. The plant has an extensive root system and can be used for erosion control, especially on marginal land. Because of its nitrogen-fixing capacity, it is valued as a soil-improving plant. Good bee plant.

HARVESTED: 2021

 

APPROX. 45+ SEEDS