Siberian Pea Shrub: From Flower to Harvest

Siberian Pea Shrub (Caragana arborescens) is a cold hardy, perennial, nitrogen fixing shrub. It's popular with many permaculture advocates in northern temperate climates because it needs zero attention and continues to hold on strong season after season. It's easy to grow from seed and provides food for pollinators early in the spring in the form of nectar and pollen. Other creatures such as chickens, ducks and rabbits also enjoy the seeds as the summer progresses. This shrub also fixes atmospheric nitrogen and adds it to the surrounding soil, making it available to other food forest species.
If you have space for this medium sized shrub, I say GO FOR IT! It's a winner!

[@lapboard340]

Thank you Sir for making this video. I appreciate it!

[@amazingdany]

Good tree for pollinators, a recommended small tree/shrub in my pollinating book. I hope to grow one one day along with every species shown in said book, hehe I'm bee-obsessed.

[@elizabethflynn8455]

Nice video. Thanks for posting it. I intend sowing a few of these later this year.

[@rexiedreams]

Amazing video thank you.

[@jayuppercase3398]

I am Definitely planting some of these

[@on4acres]

These are all two years growth? That’s crazy!

[@carmenbugeja8722]

The bees are cute buzzing away.

[@carmenbugeja8722]

Thanks for sharing, does the tree have a big root system?

[@geomundi8333]

Mine just started blooming this year. Hope your permaculture farm is doing great!! I have these in mine too. Do you ever get pests on your peashrubs? They go after mine like crazy; I've never seen a mealy bug outside except on these, and they also get whiteflies later on. I still love them though.

[@marneycohen9165]

I bought one today, it read peashrub, I have no idea what is was, I just liked the leaves….wow looks nice, not sure where I will put it yet in my garden.

[@brightsidepermaculture6049]

I allow all of the seed to fully mature on the plant and only harvest them just before the pods burst open on their own. I'm growing as many as I can every year for windbreaks, hedges, nitrogen fixation and for pollinators early in the spring. I've tried to eat them when the pods were really young and they were still tough and stringy. Not bad tasting though. When the peas are at their sweetest, they still have less sugar than a regular garden pea. So again... not great to eat. Chickens and ducks really like them though. In early spring and throughout the winter, our flocks are allowed into the food forest to clean up bugs and seeds. They do a nice job. Once I have enough plants that don't need to propagate any more, I'll likely just allow the birds to eat the seeds. If I have time, I may harvest some for trading or selling.

[@TheTrueabundance]

Great video! Thank you! Can you make a video of how you plant the seeds/ how they germinate? I have tried hot water soak pre treatment, in the fridge 4 weeks pre treatment, and knicking the seeds with nail clippers before soaking - that was the method that brought results, but so far only 20% of those have germinated. I sowed them 4 weeks ago after pre treatment, and now they are on my porch in half shade with day temps of 22ºC - 27ºC and night time cools 18ºC - 20ºC only 2 seeds out of ten of the knicked seeds have germinated, and none of the soaked in warm water ones! I'd be most interested to see how you germinate them. Thank you.

[@staticGenerator4You]

What if you harvest them and dry them then prepare them like regular lentils or beans? I’m sure you could doctor them up like in a chili or something?

[@charlieadams1313]

Id be interested in buying! Im going to try alley cropping them in the spent hay fields to stop the farmer from using synthetic nitrogen

[@staticGenerator4You]

Great presentation, like your footage throughout the season. Have you prepared and eaten them? Curious how they taste.

[@rexiedreams]

They taste blah and it’s used in spicy dishes

[@yourname06]

Never had them. Look like they would go good in rice.

[@geomundi8333]

what about pickling them when they are young and tender? i just thought of this at end; or freezing them. I am trying to think ahead for my harvest. But having them as dried peas style is cool too!

[@VibrationsfromMirror]

You have an amazingly well pruned tree. My peaches are jealous. I came here because I LOVE the Yellow look of these blowing in the wind. That said, I now wonder if these are invasive and what can we do with the seeds? Maybe grinding them to a flour, like a pine nut or flax seed. Anyone know the nutritional contents? Do they contain tannins? Good starter video, now I'm more curious about the siberian pea.

[@TheJeb52]

All I know are is that the flowers are edible

[@charronfamilyconnect]

You say harvest in the title. Do you not eat any of the pods or seeds or you just propogate more? What are your long term plans for these? Are you aiming for a siberian pea shrub plantation? I wonder how long they live for? Thanks!

[@bekkabloom6863]

Do you need more than one shrub for pollination? Thanks very much for your video!

[@j.m.k.3406]

Seeing this video six yrs later. Nice information Do you sell seeds

[@erinjoy5625]

Ok!! I think I FINNALLY found whatever tree I have in my frnt yard, iv had this in my yard for 12 years, the first 10 it was just this dead looking thing. I cleaned out the bottom dug out a bunch of crap that I think we're in the way of the roots , added new soil and the last two years I have these pretty little yellow flowers for a few weeks then these little green pea bods. Mine Dnt looks as big as your tho..... Any tips ??? I'm new to gardening

[@MyGeorg13]

i found this after a chinese doc about reforesting the gobi desert. is the siberian pea shrub the same family as "normal" human favored peas? would a cross breeding not make a tastier version of the siberian and a more resistant "domesticated" peas? thanks for video its nice

[@charronfamilyconnect]

WOw, this is cool. I want to have my own forest garden as I will be buying 80 acres of forest land by a lake real soon. I live in Canada, and would imagine these would grow really easy here. I wonder where you get the seeds or saplings for these, and whether it is permitted to import them here in Canada? Where abouts are you our of curiosity?

[@megannea.1247]

These bushes are all over Canada. :) Lots of farmers use them as a shelter belt in the field and wouldn't mind if you grabbed a few pods in the fall. :)

[@johnaverageman6249]

I’m sure its restricted so you cant buy them anywhere. It’s an invasive spices in Minnesota. Though you can still have them. My yard is hedged with over 200 feet of these years and years old.

[@mannurse7421]

How did it go?

[@charronfamilyconnect]

@@mannurse7421 I lost out on the deal unfortunately, and now land costs a fortune sadly! :(

[@seahorse2]

Canada has used caraganas as a shelterbelt for as long as Canada has existed.

[@downbntout]

What soil and water levels do they need?

[@Jefferdaughter]

Where are you located? I've heard these don't grow well in northern New England. As cold as it gets here, it's not the temperature. Could it be the acidic soils? Or it this plant worth trying in the region anyway? Some people reportedly use the ripe seeds like dried beans or peas. Have you tried this? We are primarily interested in seed production for poultry, but we also enjoy a number of forgotten, wild, and unusual vegetables. The same old lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, and garden peas can be so boring. (Less so if grown in living soil and eaten out in the garden!) So, we are also interested in trying these 'peas'.

[@Jefferdaughter]

It also seems like this plant would be an excellent candidate for selection for production and more tender pods and 'peas'.

[@karenlebron-morales8672]

Where did you buy the shrub?

[@janetkirschner4350]

Are the peas edible?

[@andrewyek]

hii, any idea this shrub can grow thru -20 c wet and gloomy cold winter of uk ? does it edible for animals ? thanks. andrew

[@jayshoaps2546]

andrew ysk I have a hedge of it in northern Minnesota

[@erikjohnson9223]

I'd say it is more likely to fail iñ warm climates. It is from Siberia. This is commonly grown to feed chickens. I've heard they are less sweet than Pisum.

[@Dyshof]

Maybe I missed it? No word about eatability for humans?

[@pgeorgak1]

Do they take long to germinate in pots? Because i sowed them 3 months ago and yet nothing...

[@brightsidepermaculture6049]

My seeds usually germinate in 2-6 weeks, depending on the temperature and moisture levels.

[@Jefferdaughter]

Soaking and/or stratification (a period of cold treatment, like in a refrigerator) helps some seeds to germinate, especially tough seeds, and those from plants adapted to cold climates. Good luck with your peashrubs.

[@pgeorgak1]

thanks!

[@electso]

Do you know the yield? Like how many pounds per plant each year

[@aburastas7373]

That would be good to know...

[@mary-annlogan2797]

I doubt very much this would be the type o plant to yield pounds - the wee pees are about the size of a mouse dropping.

[@norxgirl1]

New subber....do you sell the seeds? Thank you .....

[@roiq5263]

I bought seeds of this species and they look totally different WTF