Siberian pea

Also known as: Caragana arborescens

Soil: light, sandy, dry, or well-drained

Climate: prefers cold winters (being a native of Siberia), but new spring growth can be frost-tender

Feed value: seeds can be up to 36% protein, and are high in fat (12.4%)

The Siberian pea is a very hardy, slowgrowing, nitrogen-fixing deciduous tree. It produces large amounts of nutritious, high-protein seeds in early summer.

It flowers in early spring and is an excellent bee food, producing a fruity honey.

The trees make a good hedge. Their extensive root system is also useful for erosion control.

Pods contain 4-6 seeds and split open when ripe. The trees drop pods over many months and are very popular with poultry. British permaculture expert and author Patrick Whitefield reported seeing chickens jumping up to pull the pods off branches.

The seeds make good food for people too. Raw and cooked seeds taste like a bland pea. The yellow flowers are edible, also contributing a pea flavour when added to salads.