WSU Clark County Extension
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Twisty Baby Locust

Scientific name: Robinia pseudoacacia 'Lacy Lady'
Taxonomy
Family:Fabaceae
Type:Deciduous tree
Native:NO
Plant Requirements
Zone:4 to 8
Sun:Full sun
Moisture:Medium
Plant Characteristics
Height:15 ft
Width:18 ft
Bloom:Fragrant flowers
Bloom Time:May
Bloom Color:White
Additional Characteristics
Trees


Fruit

Leaves


Bark
Wildlife value

Poisonous
Description This Black Locust cultivar becomes a small contorted garden tree whose branches twist at every node, hence the name Twisty Baby.

  Morphology:
This deciduous tree attains a height of 15’ but can spread out in an irregular, shrubby growth habit and reach 18’ in width. Nurseries sell this cultivar as either a tree or a multi-stemmed shrub. It is difficult to maintain this tree as a straight single stem.

Leaves are pinnately compound, consisting of dark green leaflets which are 1” in length. As with the leaves, the individual leaflets curl and twist themselves. In the fall the leaves turn a pleasing yellow color before they are shed.

White flower clusters appear in May, though infrequently. Flowers have a nice fragrance. Later in the summer flowers morph into seed pods which resemble those of the native Black Locust species.

  Adaptation
Generally widely adapted to most sites.

  Pests:
Borers are reported to be a problem on the East Coast.
For assistance, contact Dr. Charles Brun (brunc@wsu.edu), (360) 397-6060 5701
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