|
ORNAMENTAL SHRUB |
CARAGANA |
 |
One of the most drought tolerant shrubs,
Caragana is adaptable, growing
well in many difficult conditions except for wet locations.
It is easy to take care of, requiring little pruning and is rarely
bothered by disease or insects. In
the spring, masses of yellow pea-flowers cover the branches in a
bright, cheerful display, attracting hummingbirds. When the thin
seedpods are ripe, they pop open, sending the seeds flying. An
entire hedge can be quite noisy, resembling the sound of popping popcorn. |
Caragana Cultivars for the Prairies
| Cultivar Name
|
Size |
Zone |
Flowers |
Foliage |
Description |
| Common Caragana
Caragana arborescens
|
10-15'
(4.5m) x 6-8' (2.5m) |
2 |
Yellow |
Attractive
green leaflets |
This
fast growing variety is ideal for shelterbelts or hedging It
fixes nitrogen, making it adaptable to a variety of
soils. |
|
Fernleaf Caragana
Caragana arborescens 'Lorbergii'
|
6-10'
(3m) x 6' (1.75m) |
2 |
Yellow |
Medium to light green. |
Fernleaf
Caragana is one of the finest textured shrubs with its needle-like,
feathery foliage. It has an
umbrella like shape that should be trimmed annually. Graceful
accent or specimen plant. |
| Globe Caragana
Caragana frutex 'Globosa'
|
2-3'
(.9m) x 2-3' (.9m) |
2 |
Yellow |
Dark
green |
A
slow growing variety with dense, egg shaped leaflets growing in a naturally neat and uniform
shape. This dwarf, globe shaped caragana is
spineless. |
| Pygmy Caragana
Caragana pygmaea
|
3'
(.9m) x 4' (1.25m) |
2 |
Bright yellow |
Dark green |
The
small globe shaped Pygmy Caragana is the most drought-tolerant
variety. It has fine textured, graceful foliage and is one of the best choices for a small, formal
hedge. The dense and thorny branches create an imposing
barrier to intruders. |
Revised
by Rachel Giesbrecht on July 4, 2005.
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