A member of the bladdernut family, the American bladdernut is native to the United States. It is botanically known as Staphylea trifolia.
American Bladdernut Description
Growing 8 to 15 feet high, this perennial shrub has deciduous leaves and drooping clusters of flowers. The green leaves are trifoliate, dark, and turn colors in the fall. Flowers are cream colored, bell-like, and hang from the stems. Fruits are green that age to yellow and then to brown. Bark is greenish in color but has white cracks throughout. Bloom season is between April and May.
Growing Guide
The American bladdernut prefers to grow in full shade with a moist well-drained soil that is nearly neutral in pH. It is very tolerant of soil conditions, and is disease and insect resistant. Propagate by hardwood cuttings, seed, or softwood cuttings. Seed should have three months of warm stratification and then three months of cold stratification.
Distribution
This native is found in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. It is seen in thickets, deep woods, and floodplains.
Classification
Kingdom – Plantae- Plants
Subkingdom – Tracheobionta- Vascular plants
Superdivision – Spermatophyta- Seed plants
Division – Magnoliophyta- Flowering plants
Class – Magnoliopsida- Dicotyledons
Subclass – Rosidae
Order – Sapindales
Family – Staphyleaceae- Bladdernut family
Genus – Staphylea L.- bladdernut
Species – Staphylea trifolia L.- American bladdernut
Source: NPIN, PlantsDatabase