This shrub is in the centre of the Chinese and Japanese section.

Native to Siberia and parts of China, neighbouring Mongolia and Kazakhstan. It was taken to the US by Eurasian immigrants, who used it as a food source while travelling west. In some areas of the US it is considered invasive.

Purchased from Thomas Smith, Daisy Hill Nursery, Newry, Northern Ireland.

A shrub or small growing to 2 to 6 m tall.

The leaves vary from light green to dark green, and are alternate and compound with many small leaflets. Fragrant yellow flowers bloom in May or June.

The fruits are legumes which contain many seeds which ripen from July. As the seed pods dry they have a tendency to twist and pop open, releasing the seeds. The seeds are bland in flavour, but edible by humans after cooking.

Introduced to the UK in 1752.