American bladdernut | The Morton Arboretum

American bladdernut is a large, native, understory shrub, often forming thickets in undisturbed landscapes. Beautiful clusters of drooping, tubular white flowers appear in early spring, followed by unusual bladder-like seed pods, which are persistent long into the winter months. A great plant for naturalizing or shady woodlands.

This species is native to the Chicago region according to Swink and Wilhelm’s Plants of the Chicago Region, with updates made according to current research.

Family (English) Staphyleaceae
Family (botanic) Bladdernut
Tree or plant type Tree, Shrub
Foliage Deciduous (seasonally loses leaves)
Native locale Chicago area, Illinois, North America
Size range Large shrub (more than 8 feet), Compact tree (10-15 feet)
Light exposure Full sun (6 hrs direct light daily), Partial sun / shade (4-6 hrs light daily), Full shade (4 hrs or less of light daily)
Hardiness zones Zone 4, Zone 5 (Northern Illinois), Zone 6 (City of Chicago), Zone 7, Zone 8
Soil preference Alkaline soil, Moist, well-drained soil
Tolerances Alkaline soil, Dry sites, Occasional flooding, Wet sites
Season of interest early spring, mid spring, midsummer, late summer
Flower color and fragrance White
Shape or form Multi-stemmed, Thicket-forming, Upright
Growth rate Fast, Moderate

Size & Form:

A colony-forming, understory shrub, American bladdernut grows 10 to 15 feet high and wide.

Native geographic location and habitat:

C-Value: 7. This plant is native to the Midwest & eastern U.S. It can be found in moist, rich woods and wooded slopes, along river banks, and in floodplains.

Attracts birds and pollinators:

Attracts birds, pollinators and wildlife, providing protective cover.

Bark color and texture:

Young twigs and bark are olive green and smooth. Older twigs develop tan fissures which contrast nicely against greenish twigs. Mature bark is brownish-gray with white streaks along the trunk.

Leaf or needle arrangement, size, shape, and texture:

American bladdernut has opposite, compound, three-part (trifoliate), dark green leaves. Each ovate leaflet is up to 4″ long and slightly toothed. Leaves are dark green and paler green beneath. Petiole leaf stalks are up to 5 inches long.

Flower arrangement, shape, and size:

White, bell-shaped flowers in drooping clusters (panicles) appear in early spring before trees leaf out.

Fruit, cone, nut, and seed descriptions:

Three-lobed, inflated, 1 1/2 inch, bladder-like papery seed capsules mature in late summer and often persist into early winter. Seed capsules add interest to dried flower arrangements.