Colutea - Bladder Senna

(Colu'tea)

DESCRIPTION: This group consists of about twenty-five hardy, deciduous shrubs found wild from southern Europe to North Africa and the western Himalayas. These shrubs, commonly known as Bladder Senna, have pinnate leaves consisting of numerous, rounded leaflets, pretty flowers, and interesting inflated seedpods. C. arborescens is a vigorous shrub growing up to 13 feet high. Its yellow, pea-shaped flowers are followed by swollen, pink seedpods, 3 inches long. C. media 'Copper Beauty' is a medium-sized shrub with blue-green leaves and bright orange flowers.

POTTING: Bladder Senna may be planted in early fall or spring. They can be grown in almost any soil and in most locations. In early spring, they may be pruned back hard if they are getting in the way of other plants or growing out of bounds, though this is unlikely to happen in poorer soils.

PROPAGATION: Seeds can be sown in pans of sandy soil in a cold frame, in late fall. Cuttings, made of half-ripe shoots 3 or 4 inches long, may be inserted in sandy soil and covered with a bell jar or placed in a closed cold frame, in July or August. Named varieties may be grafted on seedlings of C. arborescens.

VARIETIES: C. arborescens; C. media 'Copper Beauty'; C. orientalis; C. istria.

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