Your Cart. We are a team of writers that love all things plants. Locust trees are hardy trees that are known for their hard and durable wood, fragrant sweet spring flowers, and colorful fall foliage. chorus. Honey locust trees grow tall and full quickly and their limbs are adorned with thorns that can grow up to 2 in. Upright, spreading shrub with slender thorns, narrow silvery leaves, orange fruit on females persists into winter: Holodiscus dumosus Rock spirea: 4 x 4. . It also has fragrant white flowers capable of attracting insects, including bees. In this article, you will learn about the different types of locust trees. Black locust is a tough tree that will survive very poor conditions. You can see these thorns along the trees lower branches and their trunk. Mow the grass right up to the trunk to keep the plant as a single stem. This species grows in a wide range of conditions, but avoid growing it in wet sites. Purple Robe Black Locust 'Purple Robe' locust is a tremendous medium sized, suckering, deciduous shade tree that typically grows tall with an oval-upright habit. You can count on this bloomer to show off all summer long in raised beds, containers, or directly in the ground. This is a very distinctive and unique variety that the sweet scent of its flowers will definitely invite pollinators and humans to your garden. It even has an average growth of 50 feet. If you encounter issues loading this site, please refresh the page by using Ctrl + F5 if on Windows or Cmd + Shift + R if on Mac. It is noted for its attractive compound leaves and pendant racemes of violet purple pea-like flowers. Dark green leaves in the summer turn in to attractive yellow foliage in fall. black locust, common locust. RELATED SEARCHES. The Purple Robe Locust, robinia pseudoacacia, is a stunning ornamental that is known for developing, in the spring, swathes of gorgeous pink-purple flowers that resemble wisteria. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. You can use these pulps in making traditional cuisines and recipes and in preparing medicines. The purple robe locust grows to a height of 20-30 feet and has dark green, pinnate leaves with 9-19 leaflets. It is also sometimes considered to be somewhat weedy. Similar to other cultivated honey locust trees, the 'Purple Robe' grows to between 30 and 40 ft. (9 - 12 m) tall and has a spread of up to 30 ft. (9 m) wide. This variety grows best in USDA hardiness zones 7-9, and in colder climates. Bees produce a delicious honey from the flowers. Black locust produces hanging clusters of very fragrant white flowers in spring. Both are known for being endemic in the entire region of North America. The purple robe locust tree is also very thorny and has relatively weaker wood than the others. Violet purple spring flowers make this an interesting tree for the landscape. Expect them to look green at first then become red and lastly, brown. Leaves are between 4 and 6 (10 15 cm) long and are fern-like similar to all trees in the Robinia and Gleditsia genera. Black locust trees bloom in late spring with intensely fragrant white flowers. Soil: The honey locust tree is a hardy tree and can grow well in different types of soil. They are growing beautifully without any care in poor soils, with open exposure, and where little additional water would ever get to them? Known for being an easy tree to care for, the Purple Robe Locust is a hardwood variety that makes a great street tree. Fall color is yellow-green. We write how-to guides and tips for houseplants. Fruit pod-like, flat, brown-black 5-10 cm long, mature in Oct. Sun, will grow in about any soil except permanently wet. You can also differentiate the two based on their benefits and uses and their identifying features and characteristics that you will learn in the next parts of this article. It has lovely, dark rose-pink flowers. It has to be in a soil that drains well. Additionally, 'Purple Robe' is incredibly tough, super hardy, and drought tolerant. It can grow in just about any condition as long as the soil drains quickly after a rain. The attractive features of the Purple Robe locust tree are its young red leaves that turn to blue-green and then turn yellow in fall. Seed pods, or legumes, mature in early fall. Per the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service, because of their invasive nature, the purple robe locust tree is best used for reclamation purposes or along roadsides where they will be neglected. The leaves on locust trees are feather-like and pinnately shaped and measure 6 to 14 (15 36 cm). You can use this timber to manufacture fences and perform other services when it comes to carpentry. They are usually about 2-4 inches long, flat, straight or slightly curved, and typically contain 3-10 seeds per pod. in American Studies from Columbia University and lives in Queens with her two cats. This is very nice to look at and can add a more energized look to your garden. Thornless honeylocust trees are tolerant to various stressors like pollution, salt, and drought. Sites that display the Plant Sentry protection badge are protected from consumers buying and nurseries shipping material carrying invasive pests and diseases. How long should this tree live ? Being a member of the Robinia genus, there is a small oval leaflet at the tip of each leaf. You can also control black and honey locusts by cutting back these trees each growing season. Black locust trees have thorns while honey locust trees are mostly thornless. The species of locust trees are divided into two genera: Robinia and Gleditsia. Thorny Bushes and Shrubs Look to some of these thorny bushes as potential barrier plantings, as well as plantings for their beauty and fragrance. The sunburst honey locust tree also features bright yellow leaves that tend to come out during the spring and then turn into pale green once the fall comes. Start Growing Squash In Your Garden Planting and Caring Tips, Growing Swiss Chard Planting, Harvesting, Growing Guide, Growing Turnips Grow, Plant, and Harvest Guide, Growing and Planting Mustard Greens Guide, Growing Mushrooms at Home and Garden to Eat, Growing Broccoli What You Need to Successfully Grow Broccoli, Okra Companion Plants What Plants Goes Well with Okra, Arugula Companion Plants Guide to Growing Friends, Guide Planting, Harvesting, and Growing Scallions, The Spring's Trumpet: The Magic of Daffodil -- Magical Herbs, Plants Ideas That Thrive in Closed and Open Terrarium, Asparagus Companion Plants What You Can Grow and Can Not. Yes, the wood is brittle but as long as the tree gets some cold and And the fact that it has thorns on its branches, makes it even worse! Compared to honey locust timber, black locust wood is more common. Yes. Also called Robinia Pseudoacacia, the black locust tree (false acacia) is also another of the most common variety or type of locust tree. Feed twice monthly with Watters Flower Power for a riotous bloom all season long. The tree leaves are bipinnately compound meaning that smaller leaf branches grow off the main leaf stem. You can also distinguish them with the help of their pinnately and feathery compound leaves. Full Sun 6 Hours Direct Sun Perennials. Other names for the New Mexico Locust tree include Desert Locust, Pink Locust, or Rose Locust tree. These are sweet-tasting peas that animals enjoy eating. A common type of tree well-loved by gardeners in different parts of the world, the honey locust trees continue to impress because of their elegant nature. The thorns of a Black Locust Tree are a product of evolution, and act as a deterrent to mammals browsing the foliage. Locust may not be everyone's favorite choice of tree, but it does have value to foraging bees. Nature Hills sells a large variety of plants with several options available. This cultivar of black locust probably grows to about 40 feet tall with a spread of 20 to 35 feet. Robinia 'Purple Robe' will perform best in moist, organically rich loam; however, it will do just fine in both acid and alkaline soils and can handle salt spray. The bark is deeply furrowed and is brown and gray. The large compound leaves have smaller blue-green leaflets, and youll love the fine-textured look of the tree in summer. The purple robe locust tree is a medium-sized tree, growing to heights between 30 and 50 feet and widths between 25 and 30 feet at maturity. 4. Your support is vital to the Arboretum, where the power of trees makes a positive impact on peoples lives. Shop our Robinia Purple Locust trees for sale at Willis Orchards today. Purple-robe locust trees need full sun, although they will tolerate light shade. Previous Post: Farewell to Roses. The Purple Robe Locust (robinia pseudoacacia) is a beautiful ornamental tree, famous for blooming stunning pink and purple shades flowers in the spring. The all-encompassing fragrance of its flowers is the reason behind its popularity in various gardens and parks worldwide. Leaves and stem. Species of honey locust trees with the botanical term inermisa Latin word meaning harmless or defenselessin the name are thornless varieties of the species. Honey Locust Tree (Gleditsia Triacanthos). Black locust leaves are made up to 7-21 paired leaflets on both sides of a common stalk (pinnately compound). One of the reasons this locust tree variety is popular is that it grows in several unfavorable conditions. Don't wait for your chance to own this gorgeous tree, order now! The honey locust Skycole cultivar is another popular shade tree for garden landscapes. We're here to keep you informed in all things related to plants. Middle-aged 'Purple Robe' Black Locust. It mixes well with the black locusts white racemes or inflorescences, resulting in the nicely set shape of the trees branches in reddish black. For this reason, New Mexico honey locust trees are popular for garden landscapes in hot climates. The variety Purple Robe features beautiful, fragrant purple flowers. The flower color helps to tell black locusts apart from honey locust trees that have creamy-green colored flowers. The name honey comes from the fact that honey locust trees have pods with sweet taste. Similar to other cultivated honey locust trees, the Purple Robe grows to between 30 and 40 ft. (9 12 m) tall and has a spread of up to 30 ft. (9 m) wide. Unlike the black locust, the honey locust tree trunk has thorny branches growing around it. These showy flowers have an intense fragrance meaning the bristly locust tree attracts honey bees and other pollinators. The tree has been used to support nutrition in other crops, from grains to other trees. . Robinia pseudoacacia'Purple Robe' Figure 1. Join in The Morton Arboretum's mission to plant and protect trees for a greener, healthier, and more beautiful world. Dark purple fragrant flowers in May to June. Purple Robe is considered to be a very easy-to-grow tree. One of the heaviest and hardest woods in North America, black locusts are actually in the pea/bean . Order today! You can often find the Gleditsia triacanthos form inermis or this thornless locust tree in suburban landscapes and cities. You also have less work in the fall to clear up shed foliage. Deer and rabbits are less likely to eat the young branches and trees if they have to contend with sharp thorns. Note, though, that it also tends to grow excessively, which is why some regions still consider it highly invasive. She proliferates up arbors, pergolas, fences, and stunning as a ground cover to retain hills. This tree has bristly stems, which is the reason behind its name. This is one of its most endearing qualities. How to Use Purple Robe Locust in the Landscape. Just like the black locust, the species of honey locust grows in many different environments and thrives in full sun. Because they can become invasive, the suckers of the purple locust tree should be removed as soon as they appear. Very susceptible to locust borer. It falls under the deciduous trees or deciduous shrubs classification and has an average growth of 8 feet. Locust trees refer to rapidly growing flowering trees that belong to the pea family and a group of flowering plants known as Fabaceae. Extremely fragrant and only found locally at Watters. A super vigorous vine with dangling stalks of fragrant flowers appears in early spring. Plants are offered in both 5. The shademaster honey locust is the perfect tree if you are looking for a lawn tree. The vast spread of the trees foliage, small leaves, and widely-spaced branches make this an excellent shade tree. Wait until late spring, when the flowers are done blooming, before making any cuts. Robinia hispida is a nice dwarf tree with pink flowers and the exact same look as a purple robe locust, but a compact form that only gets 10 feet high. This variety has the term inermis which means that the Sunburst honey locust is a thornless tree. The imperial honey locust tree is a thornless species of deciduous tree that grows up to 40 ft. (12 m). 5. 2. The leaflets are 0.6 to 1 (1.5 2.5 cm) and are arranged alternately on the leaf stem. White/May - Jun. Black locust thorns are not bad, 1/2" at most, and they are really only on the new growth, as the branch gets bigger they loose the thorns. As a guide in growing this famous locust tree, take note of the following: As for its size, expect this tree to grow around 30 to 50 feet high. Similar to the black honey locust tree, the bark on the New Mexico cultivar is light gray-brown with shallow furrows. Black Locust Tree leaves are compound alternate leaves in an overall . Full Sun or Shade for a Crimson Queen Maple, Missouri Botanical Garden: Robinia "Purple Robe", The University of Utah: Facilities - Purple Robe Locust, Utah State University Extension: Integrated Pest Management - Locust Borer, How to grow your own herb garden in any indoor or outdoor space. Locust trees have pods with pulp inside. Black locust flowers picked from our favorite spot. Because bristly locust plants dont grow higher than 10 ft. (3 m), they are a perfect type of small tree for your garden. It has a rapid growth rate and lives up to an average age of 100 years. An excellent small yard tree, needing little fertilizer or much of anything. The honey locust tree is a hardy, fast-growing tree, similar to the black locust tree. This flower color is unusual for trees in the genus Robinia as the flowers are commonly white. It thrives in many difficult growing conditions. Looking at pictures of locust tree leaves, you will notice they are similar to fern leaves. The entire leaf can be up to a foot long. The excellent shade from this locust tree comes from the exceptionally wide canopy coverage. Another identifying feature of locust trees is their sharp thorns that can measure 1.2 to 4 (3 10 cm) long. Even in poor, infertile soils the plants seem to do well. Growing at a rapid rate of 2 to 3 feet per year, this locust produces vibrant purple flowers that cluster and cover the entire tree in color. This variety is also known for its scientific name Gleditsia triacanthos form inermis. One more distinctive feature of the black locusts is their oblong crown, which you can see atop its straight trunk. At 20 feet high by 20 feet wide, this tree is smaller in size and has contorted limbs. Possible disease problems include canker, powdery mildew, leaf spots, wood rots and verticillium wilt. The honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos), also referred to as the thorny locust or . It was magnificent. The pulp on the pods is the one edible and can be consumed by livestock and wildlife. It is best pruned in the dormant season as this tree will bleed when pruned in spring. 5. Verses 17, 18. There are many reasons why the Suncole cultivar is popular in landscape gardens. Skyline Honey Locust Trees Botanical Name- (Gleditsia triacanthos 'Skycole') If you are looking for some shade tree, then this is again a popular option you can go for. Clusters of heavily scented pink-purple flowers dangle from the locust tree, filling your garden with spring colors. It also has thin yet elegant-looking branches and a gray trunk with huge purple thorns covering it. Plant your small bristly locust tree in full sun and well-draining soil. It is famous for its ability to grow large clusters or groups of pea-like flowers that tend to bloom during the spring. Growing from its 40 foot branches are small purple leaves that remind us of a Hawaiian Lei. Keep in mind, specific varieties and different growing conditions can affect the rate at which plants grow.