The bladdernut is an unusual and versatile plant native to Europe. It belongs to the soap tree family and has many names, such as bubble tree, cracker nut or bell tree. It has beautiful white flowers in spring that attract many insects and showy lantern-like fruits in autumn containing hard-shelled nuts. The nuts are edible and can be made into liquor or jewelry. The bladdernut is also an ornament for every garden, as it has bright autumn colors and winter fruit decoration.
The bladdernut likes to grow on slopes and forest edges, in herb-rich beech, maple or oak forests. It prefers calcareous and nutrient-rich, loose, stony and moist loam or loess soils with a good layer of mulch in locations with a mild climate and fairly high humidity. It is undemanding and can be planted in any garden as long as it has enough space. It can grow up to five meters tall and has a mushroom-shaped crown.
If you want to know more about the bladdernut, you can visit the following websites:
Pimpernuss - Nature Parks: Here you will find information about the special features, the blossom, the fruits and the name of the Pimpernuss.
Unusual Plant: Versatile Pumpkin | BR.de: Here you will find a report about a tree nursery in Viechtach that specializes in autochthonous trees and shrubs, including the buttercup. You will also learn how the bladdernut is harvested and processed.
Common bladdernut - Wikipedia: Here you will find a detailed article about the bladdernut, its characteristics, distribution, ecology and use.