| DESCRIPTION: It is a deciduous shrub or small tree growing to up to 6 m in height and 4 m in width at a fast rate. The leaves are alternate, 8-12 cm long, with each leaf composed of eight to twelve oval leaflets. The flowers are yellow and appear early in the season forming pods in late June or early July. As the pods ripen, they crack and burst, spreading the seeds. The young bark is smooth and olive green and becomes less vivid in colour as the bark ages. The flowers are hermaphrodite are pollinated by bees. USE: The seed are edible cooked. Small but produced in abundance, there are 4 - 6 seeds per pod. A bland flavour, it is best used in spicy dishes. The seed contains 12.4% of fatty oil and up to 36% protein. The young pods can be cooked and used as a vegetable. The whole plant is used in the treatment of cancer of the breast, and the orifice to the womb, and for dysmenorrhoea and other gynaecological problems. A fibre obtained from the bark is used for making cordage. A blue dye is obtained from the leaves. The plant can be grown as a hedge. It is quite wind-resistant and can also be planted in a shelterbelt. The plant has an extensive root system and can be used for erosion control, especially on marginal land. Because of its nitrogen-fixing capacity, it is valued as a soil-improving plant. GROWING PERIOD: Perennial. COMMON NAMES: Siberian pea tree, Pea shrub, Pea tree, Siberian pea shrub, Siberian peashrub. FURTHER INF: It can be found in East Asia from Siberia to Mongolia. Occasionally naturalized in France. Grows on river banks, pebbles, sands, open forests and forest edges, gully slopes and stony slopes. It can fix nitrogen and it is noted for attracting wildlife. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure. |