Common Name: American Bladder Nut

General Information

Staphylea trifolia is a deciduous shrub that usually grows 2 - 4 metres tall, occasionally reaching 5 metres. The plant produces suckers, eventually developing into a large plant and forming dense colonies in the wild[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine. It is grown as an ornamental and is also used to stabilize soils.
Staphylea trifolia has a very wide distribution, large population, is not currently experiencing any major threats and no significant future threats have been identified. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Eastern N. America - Ontario to Quebec and New Hampshire, south to Oklahoma, Louisiana and Florida

Habitat

Deciduous forests, often humid, often at bases of rocky slopes, floodplain woods, thickets, stream banks; at elevations up to 1,000 metres[]. Rich moist thickets along streams and the borders of woods[, ].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	4.00 m
Growth Rate	Medium
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Tolerant of a wide range of soils so long as they are not too dry[, , ], it prefers a rich loamy soil in full sun or semi-shade[].
A fast-growing but short-lived tree in the wild[].
The plants flower best in years that follow hot summers[].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[].

Edible Uses

Seed - raw or cooked[, ]. They are eaten like pistachios[]. The seed can be used in place of walnuts (Juglans spp) in making chocolate-chip cookies[].

A sweet edible oil is obtained from the seed[]. It is used for cooking purposes[].

Medicinal

An infusion of the powdered bark has been used as a wash for sore faces[].

Other Uses

Plants have dense underground root systems and are of some value in erosion control[].

Propagation

Seed - this can be very slow to germinate, sometimes taking 18 months or more. It is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[], and some of it at least should then germinate in the spring. Stored seed should be sown as early in the year as possible and given cold stratification - it might not germinate until spring of the following year. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in light shade in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out early the following summer.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm with a heel, mid summer in a frame. Fair to good percentage[].
Layering in mid summer. Takes 15 months. Good percentage[].