Staphylea holocarpa, or Chinese Bladdernut, is a deciduous, perennial, large shrub (at a maximum height of 25 feet, it could be considered a small tree). The plant is native to Tibet and China and is often found in moist, mixed forests and shady ravines. Chinese Bladdernut tolerates a wide range of soils, but it prefers a rich loamy soil in a full sun or semi-shade. The plant is not very cold-hardy and does best in milder climates. The plant flowers best in years that follow hot summers. S. holocarpa ranks alongside S. colchica for garden-worthiness, with plants bearing long panicles of flowers from an early age and when in full flower a large plant is spectacular. It can sucker, affording easy propagation material, but it can also be trained into the form of a small tree. Diseases, Insects, and Other Plant Problems: No known issues with this plant. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Ascending; Broad
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Lanceolate; Oblong
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf size
3-6 inches long
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Leaves are trifoliolate, mid-green above and paler beneath, sometimes emerging with a bronze flush. Lateral leaflets are subsessile, 1.5 inch petiolule of terminal leaflet; 4 inch leaflets, glabrous or densely pubescent on lower surface when young and pubescent along veins when mature, margin serrulate with hard teeth, apex narrowly acuminate.
Flower color
White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Panicle
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Inflorescence displays as a broad, 4 inch long, pendulous panicle, flowering before the leaves have fully emerged. Half-inch flowers of white or soft rosy-pink that bloom in May and June.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit size
1-3 inches long
Fruit detail
1.5 to 2 inch capsule. Capsule inflated to pear-shape, base narrow, apex truncate with 3 openings. Seeds shining brown.