shrub

Bladder senna

Colutea arborescens

Updated 8 Jul 2026 · AI-parsed entry

Bladder senna (Colutea arborescens) — a shrub, for Full sun, Low water.

What it needs & gives back

↓ Needs

Sunlightfull sun to partial shade
Waterlow to medium

↑ Gives back

Biomassmedium

Through the year

Emergence

Emergence of new growth after the last spring frost, typically when air temperatures consistently reach 10 C.

Flowering

Flowering occurs from early summer, typically starting in June and lasting through August.

Fruiting

Fruiting follows flowering, with distinctive bladder-like pods developing from mid-summer into autumn.

Senescence

Leaves begin to senesce and drop with the arrival of the first autumn frosts.

Timing is relative to your local season (temperate Northern Hemisphere).

Soil interactions

Drainagewell-drained
Nitrogen fixingYes
MycorrhizalYes
Soil texturesandy, loamy, clay
Organic matterMedium
Compaction toleranceHigh

Propagation

Methodsseed, cuttings
Difficulty2 / 5
Establishes in~2 yr
Stratificationrequires scarification and cold stratification
Self-seedingModerate
Divisionspring

Wildlife & pests

Attractsbees, pollinators