The Pimpernuss is a real rarity in Germany. It is very beautiful to look at and also extremely robust - provided that the care is right.
The bladdernut (Staphylea pinnata) is undoubtedly one of the most attractive representatives of the domestic ornamental trees. Nevertheless, the plants with their pretty umbel flowers and edible rattle nuts have become a rarity in the wild as well as in home gardens. Therefore, the attractive shrubs are on the Red List. If you are looking for an eye-catcher for your home garden, you can help the butternut squash to have a renaissance. If you follow a few care instructions, you will be able to enjoy the decorative ornamental tree for many years and be able to harvest rattling nuts diligently.
| Pimpernut (Staphylea pinnata) | |
|---|---|
| Growth Speed: | 20 - 30 cm a year |
| Growth: | 200 - 400 cm |
| Growth: | 150 - 300 cm |
| Root system: | Herzwurzler |
| Location: | Sun to partial shade |
| Floor: | moist and loose, humous, loves lime |
Watering the Pimpernut correctly
The bladdernut needs sufficient watering after planting. Older plants need less watering. Additional watering is only necessary during longer dry periods and in hot summers. Otherwise, the trees get water and nutrients from their roots.
Tip: If the bladdernut is too dry, it will show this by sagging and curled leaves.
The plants do not tolerate waterlogging. Therefore, precautions should be taken when planting and drainage should be installed in the ground. If the plant is cultivated in a bucket, regular watering is indispensable. The supply of water and nutrients in the plant pot is too low and the bladdernut must be supplied with water regularly.
Tip: The plants prefer high humidity. Therefore, on hot days, the bladdernut can tolerate a cold shower from the plant sprayer.
Forirrigation should be used soft water. If you have no rainwater available, the water should not come directly from the tap. Use stale tap water and avoid using the dregs.
Coming soon:
- Water young plants regularly
- Only water older plants during prolonged drought
- pay attention to the condition of the substrate and the leaves
- Use soft, low-lime water.
Fertilize Pimpernuss correctly
The bladdernut prefers a nutrient-rich soil. Normal garden soil is usually suitable for cultivation. By incorporating compost into the soil, the bladdernut receives a valuable slow-release fertiliser. You can already mix mature compost into the substrate when planting. The rattlenut tolerates appropriate fertilizer doses in spring and autumn.
Alternatively, you can also use fertilizer for ornamental trees. If you use long-term fertilizers, you only have to fertilize in the spring. Slow-release fertilizer is also recommended for pimpernuts grown in tubs.
The leaves of the rattlenut are also a very good organic fertilizer. You can leave the leaves on the ground around the tree grate in autumn. The leaves decompose and the nutrients seep into the soil.
Coming soon:
- Apply slow-release fertilizer in spring and autumn
- Add compost to the substrate
- Leave leaves on the ground after leaf fall
- Provide regular slow-release fertilizer for potted plants for ornamental trees
Does the butternut need to be cut?
The Pimpernut grows quite slowly. Only a growth of about 25 centimeters is achieved per year. So there is no need to intervene with pruning measures, for example to limit the size, because the plants will not outgrow you.
Even a regular topiary will not be necessary. If you look at your bladdernut, it becomes clear that the plant has an extremely attractive growth habit.
If disturbing shoots appear, which either tower up too long or grow inward, you can of course use scissors. The same applies to dead plant parts or diseased shoots.
Tip: The best time for pruning the rattlenut is in early spring, before the growing season begins.
Overview of important care measures
| Care measure | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Casting | Young plants need water regularly. Older outdoor plants only need to be watered when there has been a long drought. Potted plants need water regularly. Occasional spraying of the plant helps with high humidity. |
| Fertilize | The nutrient requirement is comparatively high. Compost is very well suited as a long-term fertiliser. The leaves can be left on the ground in autumn and also provide the plant with nutrients. Potted plants are best supplied with a long-term fertilizer for ornamental trees. |
| Cut | Regular pruning is not recommended. The trees grow slowly. Old and dead branches can be removed in early spring. |
Pimpernut Overwintering
… outdoors
The age of the plant plays a role in hibernation. Older butternuts that have firmly rooted themselves will survive the winter in our latitudes without special protective measures. With younger plants, you are well advised to wrap the trunk with fleece. A layer of leaves or twigs on the ground also protects the roots from freezing.
Tip: In rough locations, a sheltered location is generally an advantage for the bladdernut.
… in the bucket
The rattlenut can be cultivated well in the bucket in the first few years. For potted plants, however, other requirements apply with regard to care. The bladdernut would not survive overwintering outdoors. There is little soil available in the planter. The bucket freezes through easily and this would mean the roots would die off.
Warning: Container plants must be overwintered indoors.
Choose a cool room as winter quarters for your container plant. Frost must not prevail in the winter quarters. A dark basement would be the wrong place for the winter stand. The room does not have to be bright as the plants shed their leaves and therefore no photosynthesis takes place, but some light should still get into the room.
In the winter quarters, the bladdernut is not fertilized. Check the plant regularly. The soil must not dry out. Make sure you water sparingly, because the risk of waterlogging is particularly high in winter quarters.
Tip: In mid-May, when no more frost is to be expected, the butternut squash can go back outside in the bucket.
Avoid care mistakes when cultivating the bladdernut
Pimpernut is a fairly robust plant.If the mentioned care instructions are observed, you will be able to look forward to he althy and strong plants. However, you should avoid maintenance mistakes if possible:
| Care mistakes | Impact |
|---|---|
| too much water | If the bladdernut is watered too frequently, the irrigation water can no longer drain off and builds up in the ground. Waterlogging occurs, which attacks the roots and, if left undetected, leads to the death of the roots.Potted plants are particularly at risk. Drainage in the bottom of the container has a preventive effect. |
| too little water | If you water too little, the plant will dry out. If the soil has dried out, watering is necessary. Check the plant regularly. Are the leaves limp and curled up at the edges, must be watered as soon as possible. |
| wrong location | If the bladdernut is too dark, this will be noticeable in its growth. In a dark location, flowering will probably not occur and you won't be able to harvest any rattlenuts either. |