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{{Taxobox
| name = ''Colutea''
| image = Bladder senna.JPG
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = ''Colutea arborescens'' in flower
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Fabales]]
| familia = [[Fabaceae]]
| subfamilia = [[Faboideae]]
| genus = '''''Colutea'''''
| genus_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
About 25 species, including:<br/>
''Colutea arborescens'' (Bladder Senna)<br/>
''Colutea atlantica''<br/>
''Colutea cilicica''<br/>
''Colutea gracilis''<br/>
''Colutea istria''<br/>
''Colutea melanocalyx''<br/>
''Colutea orientalis''<br/>
''Colutea persica''
}}
'''''Colutea''''' is a [[genus]] of about 25 [[species]] of [[deciduous]] flowering [[shrubs]] from 2-5 m tall, native to southern [[Europe]], north [[Africa]] and southwest [[Asia]]. The [[leaf|leaves]] are [[pinnate]] and light green to glaucous grey-green. The [[flower]]s are yellow to orange pea shaped and produced in [[racemes]] throughout the summer. These are followed by the attractive inflated seed pods which change from pale green to red or copper in colour.
''Colutea arborescens'', known as '''Bladder Senna''', is indigenous to the [[Mediterranean]]; it has yellow flowers. It has a height and spread of up to 5 m. Other species include ''Colutea orientalis'', with grey leaves and coppery flowers.
===Cultivation and uses===
One of the species ''Colutea arborescens'' is in general cultivation in the [[United Kingdom|UK]]. They are grown mostly for their attractive [[seed]] pods.
''Colutea arborescens'' will grow in poor sandy [[soils]] as well as heavy or [[loam]]y soils and is easy to propagate from seed. It is generally pest resistant, though garden [[snails]] will climb up the plant in wet weather to eat the leaves. It has become naturalised in the UK. The [[Hybrid (biology)|hybrid]] ''Colutea x media'' (''C. arborescens'' x ''C. orientalis'') is also cultivated for its coppery flowers.
''Colutea'' species are used as food plants by the [[larva]]e of some [[Lepidoptera]] species including ''[[Coleophora|Coleophora colutella]]''.
==References==
*''The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening'' ed. A. Huxley, 1992.
