Chinese peashrub is a deciduous shrub in the bean family (Fabaceae) native to eastern Asia and northern China, and can be found growing on open slopes of mountains. The genus name derives from Caragana, which originates from the Mongolian term "caragan" or the related Turkic "karaγana," referring to Siberian pea trees or similar shrubs in the region. The specific epithet "sinica" is a Latinized form of "Sinae," the classical name for China, indicating the plant's native origin in that country. The shrub does best in full sun to partial shade, in a range of soil types, tolerating poor soil, cold, drought, salt spray and wind. This erect, oval shrub fixes nitrogen and has moderately sparse branches. It grows 5 to 8 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide in an erected rounded form. The flowers are usually solitary reddish-yellow pea-shaped blooms in early summer, followed by legumes 1 to 1.5 inches long. In warmer climates in can be semi-evergreen. Use this shrub in the cutting garden, in the border back, on slopes and in areas with poor soil as it fixes nitrogen. See native alternatives to the left. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Watch for fungal diseases. Potential insect pests are blister beetles, aphids, spider mites, and leafhoppers.
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.
Fills a similar nicheBuddleja 'Miss Violet'Spiraea x vanhoutteiSyringa pubescens subsp. pubescens
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; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Available space
6-feet-12 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 5 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in. | Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Multi-stemmed; Rounded
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Oblong; Obovate
Leaf feel
Glossy
Leaf size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
This plant has alternate, compound leaves with four 0.2 to 0.7 in. long leaflets that are obovate to oblong-obovate. The leaves are glossy, dark green, and then turn a yellow-green in fall.
Fall color
Gold/Yellow
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Red/Burgundy
Flower value
Good Cut; Showy
Flower form
Solitary
Flower shape
Lipped
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
This plant has 1.2 in., reddish-yellow flowers in early summer.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit type
Legume
Fruit detail
Brown legume 1 to 1.5 inches long. Seeds are usually not viable.