SafePlants

Caragana pygmaea: Pygmy Peashrub

Caragana pygmaea, commonly known as Pygmy Peashrub or Pygmy Caragana, is a deciduous shrub valued for its compact growth habit and ornamental appeal.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Caragana pygmaea (L.) DC.
• Common Names: Pygmy Peashrub, Pygmy Caragana, Chinese Peashrub
• Family: Fabaceae (Leguminosae) - Pea Family
• Rank: Species
• Synonyms:
  • Robinia pygmaea L.
  • Aspalathus pygmaeus (L.) Kuntze
  • Caragana pygmaea var. pallasiana Kom.
  • Caragana komarovii Schischkin
  • Caragana splendens Scischk. ex Sobolevsk.

Distribution and Habitat

• Native to Northwestern China and Siberia.
• Hardy to zone (UK) 3.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

• Deciduous shrub.
• Grows to approximately 1.2 meters (4 feet) tall.
• Slow-growing.
• Compact, multi-stemmed habit, upright initially, then arching.
• Small, rounded, fine-textured green foliage that turns yellow in the fall.
• Spiny branches.
• Small yellow flowers bloom in early summer (May-June).

Ecological Role

• Tolerant of hot, dry locations and salt, making it suitable for challenging environments.
• Used as intruder-proof ground cover or low hedge due to its spiny nature.

Quirky Facts

• The leaves are compound, with 4 small, linear to lanceolate leaflets that are each approximately one inch in size.

Further Information

• Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service.
• RHS (Royal Horticultural Society).
• EOL (Encyclopedia of Life).
• Dave's Garden (gardening community website).
• TERMIUM (Government of Canada's terminology and linguistic data bank).
• ResearchGate (for information on flavonoids).
• ILDIS (International Legume Database & Information Service)