Staphylea colchica Black Jack

The Staphylea colchica Black Jack is a variety of false pistachio with exceptional ornamental value. If the classic Colchis Staphylea is already a remarkable and very accommodating bush, 'Black Jack' surpasses it with the colour of its foliage: initially green, its leaves turn a very dark red, almost black in summer. Its spring flowering in large, delicately scented panicles of pearly white is followed by curious swollen fruits that remain decorative until winter. This false pistachio has its place in a country hedge, a large wild grove, or the garden of a collector keen to boost biodiversity.

The False Pistachio is a bush belonging to the Staphyleaceae family, which consists of just 11 species belonging to the genus Staphylea. All these bushes are native to the moist undergrowth of the temperate northern hemisphere. Staphylea colchica is native to a Georgian region south of the Caucasus called Colchis. The 'Black Jack' cultivar is a recent horticultural creation.

The growth of the Staphylea Black Jack is rapid, reaching about 3.50 m (11ft) in all directions in a few years, forming a small tree with a bushy and wide habit. In May it produces, at the end of its branches, clusters of pendulous bell-shaped flowers, with a subtle scent of almond and orange blossom. The flowering will be more abundant after a hot summer. These campanulate corollas, measuring 9 to 12 mm (1in) long, are composed of 5 slightly shiny pearly white petals. They are followed by the formation of pendant fruits in the shape of membranous and swollen capsules resembling small wineskins, with two or three "horns", reminiscent of goat udders. These capsules, greenish-white in colour, turn brown as they ripen. They persist on the branches long after the leaves have fallen. The deciduous foliage is composed of opposite leaves, divided into 3 to 5 ovate to lanceolate leaflets, finely toothed along the edges. They emerge green and gradually turn reddish-black. Their colour then changes to yellow and orange at the end of the season, before falling off.

Perfectly adapted to European continental and cold climates, Staphylea colchica Black Jack is perfectly hardy and tolerates all types of soil as long as it does not dry out too much in summer. Its wild bushy appearance makes it more suitable for rustic landscapes and natural areas of the garden. In a free hedge, at the boundaries of the garden, it can be paired with rowans, hazelnuts, medlars, hawthorns, elderberries, or even field maples with beautiful autumn colours. To further enhance this ensemble, add some white spireas (arguta, Van Houttei), lilacs, mock oranges, botanical roses (Rosa hugonis, complicata, moyesii, pteracantha), and viburnums (lantana, carlesii, rhytidophyllum), or caragana arborescens. These shrubs are equally robust and easy-to-grow.

The floral buds, which have a caper-like taste, are preserved in vinegar in Georgia.