Swainsonpea

Swainsonpea, Alkali Swainsonpea

Sphaerophysa salsula (Pall.) D.C.

[formerly Swainsona salsula (Pall.) Taubert]

Fabaceae (Bean Family)

▲ ▼ mature flowering plants along roadside in Wyoming

▲ pinnately-compound leaves with oval leaflets

▲ red-orange pea-like flowers

▲ ▼ immature fruit (above) and old, balloon-like fruit remnants (below)

Swainsonpea:

perennial shrub-like, invasive herbaceous plant that usually grows 2-5 feet tall
leaves are pinnately compound, about 2-6 inches long and 1/3 as wide with 15-23 small, oval leaflets
flowers about 1/2 to 1" diameter, pea-like, bright orange-red in clusters in axils of leaves
fruit is an inflated bean-like pod, that becomes almost transparent upon full maturity
found in western U.S. and can be quite invasive-- can be a serious weed and seed contaminant in western alfalfa fields
native to Asia