Overview
Staphylea trifolia is a deciduous, suckering shrub or small tree growing 6-15 feet (1.8-4.6 m) tall and 6-12 feet (1.8-3.7 m) wide, often forming thickets in moist woodlands. The leaves are divided into three oval, finely toothed leaflets 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) long, and the smooth green bark is marked with white streaks on young stems. In spring it bears drooping clusters of bell-shaped, greenish-white flowers 0.3-0.4 inch (8-10 mm) long that hang among the emerging leaves. The flowers are followed by inflated, papery, three-lobed seed capsules 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) long that look like small bladders and rattle their hard seeds when shaken, persisting into winter. Foliage turns soft yellow in fall. It is native to moist woods, ravines, and stream banks across eastern North America, where it grows in partial shade on rich soils. It spreads by suckers to form colonies, which suits naturalized plantings more than confined beds. It needs reasonably moist soil and does not tolerate prolonged drought or deep dry shade.
Native Range
Native to eastern North America, from Quebec and Ontario south to Georgia and west to Minnesota and Oklahoma. It grows in moist woods, ravines, floodplains, and along stream banks.Suggested Uses
Used in woodland gardens, shaded borders, naturalized thickets, and stream-side or rain-garden plantings. The suckering habit suits informal screens and native plantings rather than tidy beds. The hanging flowers and bladder-like pods give spring and winter interest in shade.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height6' - 15'
Width/Spread6' - 12'
Reaches mature size in approximately 5 years
Bloom Information
Blooms in spring, generally April to May, with drooping clusters of small, bell-shaped, greenish-white flowers opening as the leaves expand. The bloom lasts about two to three weeks. The inflated bladder-like pods form over summer and ripen in fall, hanging on into winter.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
green, turning yellow in fallGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 2-6 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight