Practical
Plants

Staphylea pinnata

Bladder Nut

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Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Height
4.5 m
Spread
4.5 m
Fertility
Flies
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Flies

Uses

Edible uses

Seed - raw[9][2][5]. Said to taste like pistachios, the seeds are eaten by children in Germany[7].

Plant part
Seed

Environment

Range
Europe. Naturalized in Britain[4].
Habitat
Hedgerows and copses[3][4].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 6+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

Seed - this can be very slow to germinate, sometimes taking 18 months or more. It is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[10], and some of it at least should then germinate in the spring. Stored seed should be sown as early in the year as possible and given cold stratification - it might not germinate until spring of the following year. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in light shade in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out early the following summer. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Fair to good percentage[12]. Layering in July/August. Takes 15 months. Good percentage[12]. Plants sometimes produce suckers, these can be removed in the dormant season and planted out.

Cultivation

Tolerant of a wide range of soils so long as they are not too dry[3][6][10], it prefers a rich loamy soil in full sun or semi-shade[10]. Prefers a neutral to acid soil but tolerates some alkalinity[11]. A very ornamental plant[1], it is hardy to about -20°c[8]. The plants flower best in years that follow hot summers[10]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[10].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

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  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

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  3. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  4. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  5. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

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  6. Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2

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  7. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

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  8. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Shrubs. Pan Books 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30258-2

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  9. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

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  10. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  11. Davis. B. Climbers and Wall Shrubs. Viking. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-670-82929-3

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  12. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

    ↩1↩2

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