Bladderpod
Peritoma arborea
Bladderpod (Peritoma arborea), often called burro-fat or bladderpod spiderflower, is one of those dependable old-standby shrubs that seems built for California’s hard places. It forms a rounded, densely branched evergreen mound (often 2–7 ft), with trifoliate leaves and showy clusters of bright yellow flowers marked by long, whiskery stamens. The plant’s signature fruits are inflated, smooth capsules (about 3–6 cm long) that turn from green to tan as they mature—giving the shrub its “bladderpod” name. In the wild it turns up in familiar California settings: coastal sage scrub, dry slopes, and desert washes, and it can flower for long stretches of the year depending on conditions. Gardeners like it for low-water landscapes, heat tolerance, and steady nectar value—just note the strong scent, which people either enjoy or complain about.
Calscape (CNPS): “Bladderpod” (Peritoma arborea / Cleomella arborea).
USDA NRCS Plant Guide (PDF): “Bladderpod, Peritoma arborea.”
Jepson eFlora (UC/Jepson Herbaria): “Cleomella arborea” entry (family placement and descriptive characters).
Calflora taxon report: “Peritoma arborea” (synonymy notes and California-native status per database).