Caragana pygmaea

This attractive and tough deciduous shrub is native to the deserts of China and Siberia. It has a compact habit, becoming multi-stemmed with branches that start out upright before gracefully arching. Somewhat slow-growing, it eventually reaches 5 feet tall and wide. Its tiny leaflets are a grey- green which contrasts nicely with the vibrant pea-like, lemon- yellow blossoms; the flowers are very attractive to bees. A very adaptable plant, it can survive in dry, cold and windy sites. Makes a fine hedge and fixes its own nitrogen. The boiled roots are edible as an emergency food source. S/M-D/GDr