Bristly Locust Robinia hispida
Previously known as:
- Robinia hispida var. nana
- Robinia pauciflora
- Robinia pedunculata
- Phonetic Spelling
- roh-BIN-ee-ah HISS-pih-dah
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Bristly Locust is native to SE USA but has spread to other areas of the country. It is in the pea (Fabaceae) family and has pendulous pink pea-like clusters of flowers in the spring that are quite showy. The leaves are compound and attractive with yellow fall color. This plant can spread aggressively by root suckers but can sometimes be found grafted onto the rootstalk of black locust which doesn't spread as aggressively. It will grow 2-10 feet tall with a 5 to 15-foot spread. Bristly Locust is covered in purplish bristly hairs on stems and branches and also has spines at the base of the leaf stems.
It prefers sun to partial shade in soils rich in organic matter but is adaptable to most soil types including poor ones. It is drought tolerant and deer-resistant. Use as a hedge or to stabilize banks,
Site: Sun; a range of soil types including dry and poor
Form: Spreading; suckering
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Arrot'
- 'Arrot'
- 'Arrot'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Arrot'
- 'Arrot'
- 'Arrot'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Robinia
- Species:
- hispida
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Pennsylvania to South East U.S.A
- Distribution:
- AL , AR , CO , CT , DE , FL , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , NC , NE , NH , NJ , NM , NY , OH , OK , OR , PA , RI , SC , TN , TX , UT , VA , VT , WA , WI , WV
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 5 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Multi-stemmed
- Rounded
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Appendage:
- Spines
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Pink
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Spring
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- Bristly purple flat seed pod 2-3 inches long contains 3-5 seeds.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Lipped
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Pink to bright rose pea-like flowers on 2 to 4 in. produced on pendulous raceme in mid-spring. Stems are covered with bristly hairs. Individual flowers are 1 inch across with 5 petals. The calyx is covered with purple-brown bristly hairs and it has 5 teeth. Blooms April- June
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Blue
- Green
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Alternate, pinnate compound blue-green leaves; yellow fall color. They are ¾–1½' long and odd-pinnate with 7-15 leaflets that are 1-2" long and .5-1" across. Tips and bases are rounded. At the base of each stem are 2 sharp spines.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Bark Description:
- Thin smooth brown bark
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Round
- Stem Form:
- Zig Zags
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Stems are covered with purplish-brown bristly hairs
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Slope/Bank
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Design Feature:
- Hedge
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Erosion
- Problems:
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
- Weedy
