Siberian pea shrub

Good evening my friends. I am curious about Siberian pea shrub, and would really appreciate some feedback from you good folks. From what I can find, it is a drought tolerant, very hardy, nitrogen fixing large shrub, that grows from zone 2 to zone 10, in any kind of soil from pH 5.0 to over 7.5! Sounds like some kind of freak super plant from another planet. I need more large draught tolerant N-fixers for our food forest. We are in central FL in zone 9A. If you have grown it, or know something interesting about this plant, please share your opinion of it. Our soil is very acidic, close to pH 5.0. If any of you here in Florida have grown it, I am especially interested in your feedback. Thanks!

Siberian pea shrub is a premier permaculture plant. It has many uses. I have been led to believe that it doesn't do well in warmer climates, but perhaps somebody in your region can chime in with local knowledge.

There have been several long threads here about the plant. A quick search will turn up tons of data/opinion.

http://www.onlyfoods.net/caragana-arborescens-siberian-pea-shrub.html

Nice info about the pea shrub. High protein and oil.

Any idea where one could get some seeds in europe ?

David

David Livingston wrote:Any idea where one could get some seeds in europe ?

David

Try ebay - siberian pea tree seeds listing

There are two plants which are considered vital for permaculture, growing everywhere, trouble free, etc. which absolutely do not want to grow in my sandy land - one is siberian pea shrub, second is mullein. I had a great germination of Caragana seeds (over 90%), but seedlings put into the ground stay exactly the same as I have planted them (for 2 years) or just die. Seeds sown directly into a soil never sprout. Same for mullein - I have used over 1000 seeds all over my 8 acres and in pots, and I had one small mullein plant growing. The moral of the story is - you never know until you try it in your very own place.

Paul @ the Balkan Ecology Project is excellent . http://www.balkep.org/caragana-arborescens.html