bladdernut

Plant Type

Small Tree/Large Shrub (10-25 ft)

Life Cycle

Perennial

Typical Size

10-15 ft. tall
10-15 ft. wide

Tolerant of

Occasional Flooding

Inolerant of

Poorly Drained Soil

Propagation

By seed, By cutting

Plant Propagation Notes

Seeds have double dormancy and require a warm stratification followed by a cold stratification to germinate. Cuttings root easily from soft or hardwood.

Plant Planting Notes

Bladdernut trees tend to sucker. Do not grow will in compacted soils.

Plants/Diseases

No significant disease or pest issues. Resistant to honey fungus.

Wildlife Benefits

Nectar/pollen source for pollinating insects

Leaves

Leaves opposite, compound with serrate margins.

Flowers

Showy white to green bell-shaped flowers in panicles.

Fruit

Inflated bladder-like capsules.

Bark

Brown to red.

Toxicity

No know toxicity.

USDA Hardiness Zones

3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Light Exposure

Full Sun, Part Sun/Shade

Soil Moisture

Medium, Moist

Native in South Carolina?

Yes

Plant Native Habitat

Bottomland forests and upslope in nutrient-rich soils over calcareous rock.

Global Conservation Status (NatureServe)

Secure (G5)

Federal Conservation Status (USFWS)

Not Listed

Distribution Notes

Rare in the South Carolina coastal plain and sandhills. Common in the piedmont. Uncommon in the mountains.