Caragana gerardiana
| Caragana gerardiana | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 5 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 3' |
| Blooms: | Late Spring |
| Native to: | |
| Nitrogen Fixer | |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Caragana gerardiana
Propagation: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[1]. It usually germinates in 2 weeks[K]. Stored seed should be pre-soaked for 24 hours in warm water then sown in a cold frame[2][3][1]. If the seed has not swollen then scarify it and re-soak for another 12 hours before sowing[4]. Germination usually takes place within 2 - 3 weeks at 20°c[4]. Good percentage[5]. As soon as they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7 - 10cm with a heel, July/August in a frame[3].
Layering in spring.
Cultivation: Prefers full sun and a light sandy dry or well-drained soil in a hot position[5][6][1]. Does not require a rich soil, succeeding on marginal land[5][1].
Plants often do not flower well in British gardens, due in large degree to our lack of summer sun[6]. This species prefers a continental climate with hot summers and cold winters, it does not grow well in areas with mild damp winters[5][1].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[1].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[1].
Range: E. Asia - North-western Himalayas to southern Tibet at elevations up to 3,900 metres.
Habitat: Found at elevations of 3700 - 4100 metres in Xizang Province in China.
Usage: Plants can be grown as a low impenetrable hedge. They are viciously spiny[1].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Also Known As: Astragalus gerardianus.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Sheat, Wilfrid. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. St Martin, 1948.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Dirr, Michael and Charles Heuser. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press, 1987.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Bird, R. Growing from Seed Volume 3. Thompson and Morgan, 1989.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Thomas, Graham. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray, 1992.