Herb: American Bladder Nut


Latin name: Staphylea trifolia


Family: Staphyleaceae (Bladdernut Family)



Medicinal use of American Bladder Nut:

An infusion of the powdered bark has been used as a wash for sore faces.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Shrub

Height:
4 m
(13 feet)

Flowering:
May to
June

Habitat of the herb:

Rich moist thickets along streams and the borders of woods.

Edible parts of American Bladder Nut:

Seed - raw or cooked. They are eaten like pistachios. The seed can be used in place of walnuts (Juglans spp) in making chocolate-chip cookies. A sweet edible oil is obtained from the seed. It is used for cooking purposes.

Other uses of the herb:

Plants have dense underground root systems and are of some value in erosion control.

Propagation of American Bladder Nut:

Seed - this can be very slow to germinate, sometimes taking 18 months or more. It is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame, and some of it at least should then germinate in the spring. Stored seed should be sown as early in the year as possible and given cold stratification - it might not germinate until spring of the following year. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in light shade in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out early the following summer. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Fair to good percentage. Layering in July/August. Takes 15 months. Good percentage.

Cultivation of the herb:

Rich moist thickets along streams and the borders of woods.

Known hazards of Staphylea trifolia:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.