Flower profile

Siberian peashrub

Caragana arborescens

Siberian peashrub (Caragana arborescens) is a shrub or small tree in the Fabaceae family, introduced in the lower 48 states.

Not native to North Dakota

Siberian peashrub is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as introduced in the lower 48 states.

22states where USDA records it

111ND sightings*

1,397U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: North Dakota

Quick look

Caragana arborescens, the Siberian peashrub, Siberian pea-tree, or caragana, is a species of legume native to Siberia and parts of China and neighboring Mongolia and Kazakhstan. It was taken to the United States by Eurasian immigrants, who used it as a food source while travelling west. In some areas of the United States it is considered an invasive species.
From Wikipedia's article Caragana arborescens, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Fabaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub / a tree with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 22 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as not native to North Dakota. ^NatureServe
USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as yellow. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as late spring. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 12 ft. ^{USDA PLANTS}
iNaturalist has 111 research-grade sightings of it in North Dakota, ranking #63 among the 116 flowers on our North Dakota list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (46 records)

There are only a handful of North Dakota flowering records, so this chart uses records from across the U.S.

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: GNR Not yet ranked worldwide. ^NatureServe
North Dakota: No list North Dakota has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's North Dakota ranks instead. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in North Dakota.
Rare elsewhere: No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records siberian peashrub in 22 states.

AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alaska, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

North Dakota counties with USDA records: Barnes, Cass, Divide, McLean, Nelson, Pembina, Ramsey, Rolette, Stark, Stutsman, Wells, Williams.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Siberian peashrub a high shade tolerance, high drought tolerance and medium moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 5.0 to 8.5 and winter lows down to -38 °F.

Shade tolerance: High
Drought tolerance: High
Moisture use: Medium
Soil textures it is adapted to: medium, fine
Soil pH range: 5.0 to 8.5
Minimum temperature tolerated: -38 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum): 150
Annual precipitation range: 10 to 35 inches
Minimum root depth: 16 inches
Salinity tolerance: Medium
Fertility requirement: Low
Growth rate: Rapid
Lifespan: Moderate
Active growth period: Spring and Summer
Fruit or seed: Brown · Spring to Summer
Can be propagated by: bare root, container
Commercial availability: Routinely Available

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for CAAR18. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Alaska: Introduced; Canada: Introduced; Lower 48 states: Introduced.

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Caragana fruticosa.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 84 counties across 18 states; the most are in North Dakota (12), Montana (9), Utah (9).

More from the Fabaceae family (114 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Lupines, White clover, Red clover, Eastern redbud, Purple crownvetch, Bird's-foot trefoil, Partridge pea, White sweetclover.

More North Dakota flowers

Yellow sweetclover

Melilotus officinalis

Introduced

🌼 Few flowering records in ND

Wild licorice

Glycyrrhiza lepidota

Native

🌼 Few flowering records in ND

Purple prairie clover

Dalea purpurea

Native

🌼 Blooms in ND: July–August

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile CAAR18.
iNaturalist, Caragana arborescens: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Caragana arborescens (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
North Dakota: North Dakota state noxious weeds (N.D. Admin. Code 7-06-01-02), as listed by the ND Department of Agriculture.
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Caragana arborescens (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
Photo: mfeaver via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.