Siberian Peashrub
Given Name: Caragana aborescens
Nicknames: Siberian peatree, pea tree, caragana
Family: Leguminosae (Pea)
On your mark, get set, grow! Grab some snacks and watch to see who's leading the plant growth race. Spoiler alert: it's me!
I doubt other shrubs could beat my world record (I'm assuming its a world record) of increasing from 50 plants to over 60 000 in just 75 years in Elk Island National Park, Canada.
But what's that? Is a referee waving a flag of some sort? Was there a fowl? Well, now that you mention it, there can be lots of fowls with me around- my seeds are great chicken food- lol!
But seriously folks, some of these human refs, I think they call them conservationists, say that I'm cheating- that I use unfair tactics.
They claim that the substances I secrete (phenolic compounds) that inhibit the germination and growth of native plants and kill soil micro-organisms should get me disqualified. But come on, native plants do that too- look at black walnut and its plant-inhibiting chemical, juglone. If I'm condemned for my style of play, shouldn't it be too? It's not even like I chose to be on the North American team. People recruited me!
And the reason I was picked in the plant draft way back in 1752, was for the very reason you want to give me a red card now: I'm aggressive. You liked that when I was playing for you, growing as windbreaks and for erosion control. But now that I'm a free agent, you criticize me.
Let me tell you that I will not apologize for rising to the top of my game.
I trained long and hard in my native range of Siberia and Manchuria to be a pioneer species, able to colonize quickly by reaching maturity at 10 years old, producing many seeds and living as a canopy dominant, at 15-20 feet tall, for up to 90 years. This lets me cover bare soil and prepare it for future species. Yes, I fix nitrogen in the soil, leaving the soil more fertile than when I found it.
So just because I out-compete others, doesn't mean I'm not a team player. In fact, I think it makes me a better player.
I should win the MVP (Most Valuable Plant) award!
Not convinced? Well, if I could, I'd prove it by challenging any plant around to a skills contest. And then I'd win. What? It's true. Were other plants able support the Siberian peasants' chicken flocks through the winters during WWII? No way! But I reportedly did that, singlehandedly, by feeding the chickens my seeds! Are other plants as good for bees as I am? Oh, I doubt it. I not only am a good source of nectar and pollen (yeah... not one or the other but both!) for honeybees and bumblebees but I provide prime habitat for bumblebee queens when they initiate nest building. Do other plants provide hummingbird food and important nesting sites for the common grackle? Didn't think so.
See, I clearly win the usefulness prize. Thank you, thank you, I would bow if I could. Oh, wait, I can do that too- I come in a weeping variety so my boughs do bow to the ground.
And all over those boughs are things that represent my ambitious nature. My bright green leaves made up of 4-6 pairs of oval leaflets look like a collection of little medals, my spikes show my willingness to fight for success and the colour of my pea-family flowers (yellow) reminds me to always go for the gold!
Yes, I am actually related to garden peas.
Ah... you're wondering whether my slim pods of seeds are edible too? Well.... technically.... yes.
Hmmm? Why did I say 'technically'? Did I use that word? Really? I guess I did. If you must know, you have to boil my seeds in several changes of water to deal with my bitterness.
Oh. You'd rather plant goumi, seabuckthorn or buffaloberry as nitrogen fixing shrubs because their edible berries are tastier and easier to use and they're less aggressive.
Fine! Be that way- see if I care. I'm taking my drought and salt tolerance and going to play with someone who sees me as the winner I am! Humph!
No... I'm not a sore loser... you're the sore loser,
Competitive Siberian Peashrub
References:
Bonner, Franklin T.; Karrfalt, Robert P., eds. (2008). The Woody Plant Seed Manual. Agric. HandbookNo. 727. Washington, DC. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. p. 321-323. https://www.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/pubs/32630
"Caragana arborescens” (n.d.). Missouri Botanical Garden. https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=280588
"Caragana or Siberian Peashrub” (n.d.). North Dakota Tree Handbook. North Carolina State University. https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/trees/handbook/th-3-7.pdf
Favorite, J. (n.d.). “Siberian Peashrub”. United States Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Conservation Services. https://plants.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/plantguide/pdf/pg_caar18.pdf
"Landscape Plants: Caragana arborescens” (n.d.). Oregon State University. https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/caragana-arborescens
Shortt, Katelyn & Vamosi, Steven. (2012). A review of the biology of the weedy Siberian peashrub, Caragana arborescens, with an emphasis on its potential effects in North America. Botanical Studies. 53. 1-8. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/287526942_A_review_of_the_biology_of_the_weedy_Siberian_peashrub_Caragana_arborescens_with_an_emphasis_on_its_potential_effects_in_North_America
"Siberian Peashrub” (n.d.). Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Invasives/fact/SiberianPeashrub.html
Toensmeier, E. (2013, April 5). “Siberian Pea Shrub- a Potential Perennial Bean for Cold and Arid Regions”. Perennial Solutions Blog (excerpt from Carbon Farming: A global toolkit for stabilizing the climate with tree crops and regenerative agriculture practices). http://www.perennialsolutions.org/siberian-pea-shrub-a-potential-perennial-bean-for-cold-and-arid-regions
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