Bladdernut
Staphylea trifolia
Fragrant white spring bells, then papery lantern-like pods that rattle through summer and fall. A slow colony-former for moist shade.
Typically 1 quart–3 gal · $17–$85 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Aug 138 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Aug 148 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Aug 158 AM – 2 PM
Fragrant spring bells followed by rattling papery lanterns through summer. bladdernut is the native shrub that makes people stop and ask what it is.
Bladdernut is one of those native shrubs that rewards the gardener who pays attention. Clusters of white bell-shaped flowers hang from arching branches in spring, fragrant and attractive to native bees at a time when the understory calendar is still filling up. What follows is even more unusual: inflated papery green seed pods, like small Chinese lanterns, rattle in the breeze through summer and fall. They're botanical novelties, and genuinely beautiful. This is a shrub for shaded or partially shaded spots near a stream or in a moist woodland edge. It spreads slowly by suckers to form a colony over time, excellent for slope stabilization or naturalizing under taller deciduous canopy. An underused plant that earns admiration from anyone who gets close enough to notice.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown bladdernut propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
- Sun
- Part sun
- Water
- Average
- Mature size
- 5–10 ft · 4–8 ft wide
- Bloom time
- Spring
- Bloom color
- White
- USDA zones
- 3–8
- Family
- Staphyleaceae
- Native range
- Eastern North America
Care notes for bladdernut.
Part to full shade, consistently moist, humus-rich soil. Water during dry periods. No pruning required. Allow sucker spread if you want a colony; trim to contain. Mulch to retain soil moisture. No fertilizing needed in good woodland soils.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside bladdernut.
Or skip the guesswork.
Curated packages bundle complementary species for an instant habitat. One reservation, one pickup day, a printed layout map.
Short on Space Package
For gardeners who have an abundance of passion but are short on space, this package features tidy, upright, clump-forming natives that behave and function well in small spaces.
Shade Bed Package
Ferns, sedges, and woodland natives that thrive under existing trees.
Birder’s Paradise Package
For the avid bird watchers and budding ornithologists in our community, the Birder’s Paradise Package consists of species that Hill House Nursery staff and longtime native plant advocates such as Doug Tallamy consider ‘premier bird garden plants’.