What soil does Siberian pea shrub grow in?

It tolerates these soils: average garden soil, sandy, calcareous, clay.

Is Siberian pea shrub hardy?

Hardy down to -45 °C (USDA zone 2, RHS H7). It gets through winter in every part of the country.

How far from the house should Siberian pea shrub be planted?

Plant it at least 3.5 m from buildings. Keep it at least 0.5 m from paving.

How far apart should Siberian pea shrub be planted?

Planted on its own, it needs 2 m between plants. For a hedge, allow 2.5 plants per metre.

How much water does Siberian pea shrub need?

Water need: low. Drought tolerance: high.

Siberian pea shrub

Caragana arborescens

Siberian pea shrub (Caragana arborescens) is a shrub. Light: full sun, part shade. Hardy down to -45 °C. Drought tolerance: high.

Illustration of Siberian pea shrub — An illustration of the typical shape of the mature plant, not a photo.

What it's good for, and what it isn't

An extremely cold-hardy and drought-tolerant upright large shrub or small tree that copes where others give up: on poor, sandy or limy soil in windy, sun-baked spots. In May bees crowd its yellow pea flowers, and its root nodules fix nitrogen from the air, so it improves the soil and also works as a windbreak hedge or screen. For an ornamental garden the weeping 'Pendula' and the fine-leaved 'Walker', both grafted on a stem, are the better choice, because the plain species looks tired by late summer, has spiny stipules and self-seeds from its popping pods.

Watch out for

From midsummer the foliage often looks worn: leaf spot, spider mites and aphids damage it, and fungal diseases appear in humid, warm spots. In Central Europe it copes with hot, dry summers but prefers a continental climate with cold winters and grows less well in mild, wet places. The ripe pods burst and scatter seed, so pull out seedlings as they appear; in parts of North America it is treated as a weed. On weeping forms grafted on a stem, remove shoots that break from the rootstock at their base.

Key facts

Light: Full sun, Part shade
Water need: Low
Care: Low
Size after 10 years: 3.5 m × 2.5 m
Hardiness: down to -45 °C
Foliage: Deciduous
Flowering: J F M A M J J A S O N D May–June, yellow

All details

Group	Shrub
Light	Full sun, Part shade
Size after 10 years	3.5 m × 2.5 m
Ultimate size	3–6 m × 2.5–4.5 m
Hardiness	down to -45 °C (USDA 2, RHS H7)
Soil	Average garden soil, Sandy, Calcareous, Clay
Foliage	Deciduous
Flowering	May–June, yellow
Water need	Low
Drought tolerance	High
Maintenance	Low
Root aggressiveness	Low
Suckering	no
Spreading	Medium
Distance from buildings	at least 3.5 m
Distance from paving	at least 0.5 m
Litter	not typical
Planting distance	200 cm
For dogs	no data
For cats	no data
For children	Mildly toxic (uncertain)
Typical price	no data

Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.

Frequently asked questions

Data updated: October 26, 2026 · How our data is made

Appears in these lists

Shrubs for part shade Drought-tolerant plants Drought-tolerant shrubs Drought-tolerant plants for sandy soil Hedge plants Plants for screening Shrubs for pollinators Low-maintenance shrubs Flowering shrubs

Guide on the topic

Fast-growing hedges: how much each grows in a year The fastest hedge plant is the Leyland cypress, growing about 90 cm a year, followed by cherry laurel 'Novita', firethorn and western red cedar at about 50 cm a year, then privet at 40 cm. How long a 180 cm hedge takes to screen depends more on the size of plant you buy: several years from small plants, one or two summers from large ones, but at many times the price per metre. The tables use the current shop prices in your country.

Looks good next to it

Sword-leaved inula

Inula ensifolia

October daphne

Sedum sieboldii

Common honeysuckle

Lonicera periclymenum