Caragana jubata
| Caragana jubata | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 3 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 3' |
| Blooms: | Mid Spring-Late Spring |
| Native to: | |
| Nitrogen Fixer Shelter | |
| Medicinal Rating: | |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Caragana jubata (common name: shag-spine)
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[6][5][1]. Dislikes damp conditions[6]. Does not require a rich soil, succeeding on marginal land[5].
A very hardy plant but it does not like the lack of sun in British gardens. It is best grown at the foot of a warm dry wall in a well-drained light soil[5]. It prefers a continental climate with hot summers and cold winters[1], it does not flower freely in Britain due to our cooler summers and lack of sunshine[7].
A remarkably curious shrub, but it is not showy[6].
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 - Siberia to Mongolia and Tibet.
Habitat: Dry gravel slopes above the sub-alpine forest belt[8].
Medicinal: Antirheumatic, demulcent, vulnerary. Used in the treatment of boils, swellings, coughs, headaches and rheumatic arthritis[8].
Usage: A fibre obtained from the bark is used for making cordage, gunny bags etc[8].
A very spiny plant, it forms an impenetrable barrier and can be grown as a hedge[1].
Pollinators: Bees
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Seed Ripens: Early Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Also Known As: Robinia jubata.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 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 6.2 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray, 1992.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Jingwei, Zhang and Ching-Wei Chang. Alpine Plants of China. Horizon Books, 1982.