colutea arborescens

Colutea arborescens flowers

Image - Wikimedia / Isidre blanc

La colutea arborescens It is a perfect shrub to grow in gardens where rainfall is rather scarce. Its height once adult is also very interesting, since it allows us to have it either as a hedge or as an isolated specimen.

But how do you take care of yourself and how long does it resist the cold? If you want to know the answers to these questions, do not worry that after reading this article you will know everything about her 🙂.

Origin and characteristics

Colutea arborescens in habitat

Image - Wikimedia / Stefan.lefnaer

Our protagonist it is a deciduous shrub whose scientific name is colutea arborescens, although it is popularly known as wolf scare, crazy ash, rattles or crazy sheep. It is native to the Mediterranean region to Central Europe. In Spain we will see it in the eastern, central and southern half of the Iberian Peninsula, including Portugal. It usually coexists with Aleppo, Gallic and Kermes pines, from sea level to 1700 meters above sea level.

Reaches a height of 1 to 3 meters, and has odd-pinnate compound leaves composed of 5-11 leaflets. The flowers, which sprout in spring, are butterfly-shaped, yellow, and appear in small hanging clusters. The fruit is a large, hollow and inflated legume 3-6cm long by 3cm wide, and inside we will find its seeds.

Subspecies

Three are known:

  • Colutea arborescens subsp. arborescens: it is found in Catalonia, northern Aragon, the Valencian Community and the province of Cuenca.
  • Colutea arborescens subsp. atlantic: grows in Spain (east, center and south of the peninsula), Morocco and Algeria.
  • Colutea arborescens subp. gallicWe will see it from Spain to Austria and the former Yugoslavia.

What are their cares?

Legumes of Colutea arborescens

Image - Wikimedia / Jeantosti

If you want to have a copy, we recommend that you provide it with the following care:

  • Location: it must be outside, in full sun.
  • Earth:
    • Pot: mix universal growing medium with 30% perlite.
    • Garden: the soil must be fertile and have good drainage.
  • Irrigation: about 3 times a week in summer, and every 4-5 days the rest.
  • Subscriber: in spring and summer, with organic fertilizers once a month.
  • Multiplication: by seeds in spring.
  • Rusticity: resistant up to -12ºC.

What did you think of the wolf scare? Did you know him?


2 comments, leave yours

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked with *

*

*

  1. Responsible for the data: Miguel Ángel Gatón
  2. Purpose of the data: Control SPAM, comment management.
  3. Legitimation: Your consent
  4. Communication of the data: The data will not be communicated to third parties except by legal obligation.
  5. Data storage: Database hosted by Occentus Networks (EU)
  6. Rights: At any time you can limit, recover and delete your information.

  1.   Alex said

    Where can I get one?

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hi Alex.

      You can get seeds on Amazon, from here.

      Greetings.