Bladderpod
Peritoma arborea
Last reviewed: September 2026
Toxicity unknown
Bladderpod (Peritoma arborea) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.
Light
full sun
Water
low
Size
24"–96" H × 36"–72" W
Bloom
Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun
Native to
AZ, CA
Pollinators
bees
Before you buy
Your city may pay you to plant this
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A rounded, open shrub with gray-green three-parted leaves and loose spikes of bright yellow flowers followed by distinctive inflated seed pods. It grows in dry washes and open scrub.
Wildlife value
Host plant for Sara orangetip.
The flowers are heavily worked by native bees, and the foliage is a documented larval host for the Sara orangetip butterfly.
Common questions
- How much sun does Bladderpod need?
- Bladderpod grows best in full sun conditions.
- When does Bladderpod bloom?
- Bladderpod blooms in February, March, April, May, and June.
- Where is Bladderpod native?
- Bladderpod (Peritoma arborea) is native to AZ, CA, per the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew).
- What butterflies or moths does Bladderpod host?
- Bladderpod is a larval host plant for Sara orangetip.
Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Ready to grow Bladderpod? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.
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