Pimpernuss plants: tips on location and substrate

If you are looking for an unusual plant, you can bring a real rarity to your garden with the buttercup.

The bladdernut (Staphylea pinnata) is a hardy and decorative plant that also produces tasty fruits. However, the rattlenut is rather rare in our gardens. You can change this if you decide to plant the bladdernut. The small, deciduous shrub from the Mediterranean region is now on the Red List. Bring the rare plant into your garden and contribute to the protection of species. If a few things are taken into account when planting, you will be able to enjoy the butternut squash for many years and harvest the edible nuts.

Pimpernuss - small plant description

Pimpernus mostly grows in the form of a bush and can reach heights of growth of up to three metres. In rare cases you will also be able to cultivate small trees of up to five meters. The plants have opposite leaves with serrated leaf edges. The yellow-white panicle flowers are fivefold and appear bell-shaped. Nutlets form in the resulting capsule fruits, which rattle against the shell when ripe and give the rattlenut its name.

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

The Fruits of the Pimpernut

The delicate osmanthus blooms appear in early summer. The hobby gardener will be able to enjoy it for several weeks. Fruits form from the flowers. These are initially light green in color and turn brown over the course of the year. When the wind blows the ripe fruits against the fruit pods, you can hear the characteristic "pimping". The nuts are visually similar to hazelnuts. The taste of the pimpernuts is reminiscent of pistachios. From theLiqueur can be obtained from nuts. Pimpernuss liqueur is a speci alty in the Bavarian Forest. The nuts can be eaten raw or roasted.

Propagation of the Pimpernut

Originally, the bladder nut comes from the Mediterranean region. There it grows mainly on forest edges or steep slopes. The rattlenut is increasingly found in the company of oak, beech or maple. In Germany, too, the bladdernut has become native and mainly inhabits sparse deciduous forests. The plants are mainly distributed in southern Germany. There, the main distribution area stretches from the Swabian region to Lower Austria.

Pimpernut planting - the right location

In order to find the right location, the growth habit of the shrubs should be considered. The Pimpernuss can form sprawling crowns up to three meters wide. Therefore, the plants should be given some space. So it would be rather unfavorable to plant the rattlenut near walls or house walls. The Mediterranean plants also love the warmth. Therefore, they should find a sunny to semi-shady location. The plants prefer to thrive in a mild climate, such as that found in wine-growing regions or around Lake Constance. In rougher locations, a sheltered location is an advantage. The plants also prefer high humidity.

Tip: The solitary bladdernut appears particularly attractive with various underplantings. This also allows the species-typical balding in the lower area to be well concealed.

You can incorporate the Pimpernus in borders, plant it together with other shrubs in a group or cultivate it as a hedge. The rattle nuts appear particularly decorative in combination with laburnum or forsythia.

The right location at a glance:

warm
sunny
protected
Group Planting
underplanting

Selecting the ideal substrate for the bladdernut

The bladdernut prefers loose and well-drained soil. The substrate should not appear too sparse and should offer the plant a balanced source of nutrients. You can use regular garden soil. This can be upgraded by adding compost and leaf soil. If you have the opportunity, you should determine the pH of the soil. Values between 3.5 and 5.5 appear ideal for the plant. Add gravel or sand to ensure the soil is well drained.

Hint: Throughregular mulching of the soil, you also achieve good permeability of the substrate. In addition, the plant is supplied with nutrients and protected from drying out.

Overview of land requirements:

loose
permeable
nutrient rich
humos
calcareous

Pimpernut planting - step by step

1. Select location
2. Dig planting hole
3. Loosen and prepare soil
4. Water plant
5. Lay drainage
6. Insert the plant
7. Fill up the substrate
8. Press the soil down
9. Water the plantThe best time for planting is spring and early summer. This gives the plant enough time to take root and grow well before winter.

Once the right location has been found, the ground can be excavated. This should be at least twice the size of the bladdernut root ball. The excavation can now be upgraded accordingly and mixed with compost and leaves. To ensure the permeability of the soil, you can lay out a drainage made of potsherds or gravel in the planting hole.

Before planting, the rattlenut is placed in a bucket of water for a while so that the roots can soak up moisture. The plant can then be used and the excavated material goes back into the planting hole. After you have closed the planting hole, press down the soil well and water the butternut squash sufficiently.

Planting the Pimpernut - all the facts at a glance

Measure	Explanation
Find location	The plants prefer a warm and sunny location. The bladdernut likes a sheltered spot and loves high humidity.
Prepare the ground	The soil should be rich in nutrients and permeable. The substrate can be mixed with leaves or compost. Drainage in the soil prevents waterlogging.
Plant Pimpernut	The planting hole should be about twice the size of the root ball. Before planting, the bladdernut is watered so that the roots can soak up the water. Water well after planting .

Cultivate Pimpernus in the bucket

Due to its small size, the bladdernut can be cultivated well in a bucket. Young plants in particular are very well suited to being kept in tubs and are therefore also decorative on balconies and terraces.

When selecting the planter, care should be taken to ensure that it is of sufficient size and has enough drainage holes on the bottom. Because in the bucket it is particularly important that the irrigation water can drain off well, otherwise waterlogging will quickly occur and the roots will rot. You should therefore also add a drainage layer of gravel or expanded clay to the bottom of the container to increase the permeability of the substrate. Supply the bladdernut with a slow-release fertilizer in spring.

Tip: If the bladdernut is cultivated in a tub, the plant is not hardy and needs a frost-free winter quarters.

The plants grow about 25 centimeters a year and can therefore be cultivated in the bucket for several years without any problems. Once a stable root system has developed, it is all the easier to move the plant outdoors and continue cultivating it there successfully.

Pimpernut

When the first roots appear on the bottom of the container, it is time to transplant the bladdernut. Spring is the perfect time to do this, before the start of the growing season. To do this, remove the plant from the old container and largely free it from the substrate. The new planter is then filled with substrate and the plant is carefully placed there. It is important not to damage the roots.