Sweet pea shrub?

[Todd Ziegler]

I am looking for information on a plant that my grandmother used to have and she called it a "sweet pea bush" it was a shrub and they called it a "sweet pea bush" because the blooms looked like a sweet pea bloom. I don't remember much about the way it looked other than it had what looked to me like hairy stems. I don't think they were thorns. I had found it in an old gurneys catalog but I have lost that catalog and I find myself looking for information again. There was some growing in Tipton County, IN a few years ago but when I returned to the houses the plants were gone. I do know that they would not stay put. It might grow a few years where you planted it but then it would show up in other areas and be gone from the original planting site. Any information would be great. As a reward I will send you some seeds from my collection, if I have what you want. I have 250 different varieties of garden seeds.

 

[digitS']

Hi Todd

Could it be Caragana arborescens ? Wikipedia

It was once quite commonly planted with trees to form windbreaks. Our local extension service sold these plants and I have just noticed a few Siberian Pea shrubs and that they have begun to bloom.

Steve

 

[Todd Ziegler]

The plant I remember had a purple bloom. The pictures I looked at from the one you said all had yellow blooms. I have a place to start from now, at least. Thanks

 

[Todd Ziegler]

Also the one I remember didn't get any taller than about 5 feet. So I don't think this is the same. Thanks for the reply though m

 

[thistlebloom]

Try looking for plants in the polygala family. Some of them are described as sweet pea shrubs.
(Polygala dalmaisiana, and P. fruiticosa look likely).

Maybe also Amorpha canescens, it's a purple flowering leguminous plant.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Try googling "sweet pea bush". I got some interesting hits.