Caragana boisii

Caragana boisii is a deciduous shrub in the pea family, Fabaceae. It comes from China, including southern Gansu, southern Shaanxi, and Sichuan. It grows in a temperate climate. Plants For A Future calls it Siberian peatree. The shrub grows fast and reaches about 6.6 feet (2 metres) tall. Its spread reaches about 4.9 feet (1.5 metres). It loses its leaves for winter.

The flowers open in May, and bees pollinate them. Each flower has both male and female organs. Seeds ripen in September. The ovary and young fruit bear fine hairs. These features help distinguish it from the related Caragana arborescens. Its calyx also has longer teeth than that species. The evidence gives no species-level details on leaf shape or flower colour.

Choose a sunny site, as this shrub does not grow in shade. It suits sandy or loamy soil with good drainage. It grows in poor ground and needs no rich soil. It accepts mildly acid, neutral, and alkaline conditions. It can also cope with strongly alkaline soil. Dry or moist ground suits it, but drainage remains important. Once established, it can withstand drought. Plants For A Future lists USDA zones 2–9. It also reports cold tolerance to at least −30°C. The plant favours hot summers and cold winters. It grows less well in the milder west of Britain.

This shrub fixes nitrogen and attracts wildlife. Plants For A Future lists hedges and sunny woodland edges as garden settings. These uses suit its shrubby form and need for sun. No species-specific pest or disease problems appear in the supplied evidence. There is also no firm species-level evidence here for food safety or toxicity. The food and hazard notes concern a related species instead. They do not establish whether this plant is safe to eat. No medicinal uses are recorded.

Seed offers one way to raise new plants. Sow fresh seed in a cold frame once ripe. Soak stored seed in warm water for 24 hours before sowing. Scarify seeds that stay firm, then soak them again. Germination can take two to three weeks at 20°C. Move seedlings into pots once large enough to handle. Keep them in a greenhouse through their first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer, after frost risk passes.