Caragana turkestanica - Turkish pea shrub

This pea shrub is from Turkestan in Central Asia. It is very similar to its eastern relative, the Siberian pea tree (C. arborescens), which is very commonly planted in Finland, for example as hedging. The Turkish species has slightly darker leaves and is more shrub-like than the Siberian. It flowers in spring with the typical yellow pea-like flowers, and the seed-pods which form later are again typical of the pea family.

In Finland the Turkish pea shrub has not been much tried, though from experience at Mustila it seems very hardy. It is not as susceptible to mildew as the Siberian species, so could well be used as a replacement. It thrives in poor soils spots because its roots can fix nitrogen from the atmosphere, like the other plants of the pea family.