AMERICAN BLADDERNUT
Staphylea trifolia

Height: 8-10’
Width: 6-8’
Hardiness Zone: 3 or 4
Exposure: sun, partial shade, full shade
Origin: Eastern United States, Canada

Description:

American Bladdernut is an upright-growing, multi-stemmed shrub. It has an oval or rounded growth habit. It suckers from the roots and can form a wide-spreading clump. This native plant can also be trained to form a single-or multi-trunked small tree. The smooth bark on mature stems is gray with lighter vertical stripes. American Bladdernut has compound leaves, each leaf comprised of three ovate leaflets. Foliage color is medium green, and fall color is usually yellow. It flowers in late May or early June. The small, bell-shaped white flowers are borne in dangling clusters. The unusual fruits are 3 lobed, inflated bladder-like capsules that turn from green to tan in early autumn. The capsules often stay on the plant into winter, and the small, hard seeds can be heard rattling in the capsules on windy days.

Site and Cultural Requirements:

American Bladdernut prefers a rich, moist soil though it will tolerate average soils as long as moisture is adequate. The plant will have denser growth in full sun or light shade; it will grow in fairly dense shade but the form will be looser and more open. Prune suckers from American Bladdernut if lateral spread must be limited. This is a good plant for naturalized areas and woodland gardens.

Insect/Disease Issues:

No serious insect or disease problems.

Cultivars:

None

We thank the Landscape Plant Development Center and NLA for the botanical information and photos.

 

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Phone: (515)-992-4211
Email: info@thebrentonarboretum.org