Family: legumes (Fabaceae).
Homeland: North America, northern regions of Mexico.
The form: deciduous trees and shrubs.
Description
Some types of Robinia are trees reaching 20-25, sometimes 30 meters in height, other species are shrubs up to 4 meters high. Both of them are very decorative: the trees have an openwork spreading crown, consisting, as it were, of isolated translucent tiers. The leaves are odd-pinnate, alternate, consisting of 7-19 leaflets, elliptical or obovate. The length of the leaves can exceed 25 cm. Their color depends on the species: most often the foliage of Robinia has a rich green color, but shades can vary from golden green to gray green. In autumn, the leaves of the black locust acquire a golden yellow hue.
The tree looks especially decorative during the flowering period, which falls on May-June. Most Robinia species have large racemes of white, pink, or purple flowers. The fruits ripening in September are oblong, multi-seeded, laterally flattened beans of gray or Brown color.
Different sources estimate the size of the genus differently, referring to it, as a rule, about 10, and sometimes about 20 plant species. According to the Internet encyclopedia of plants The Plant List, the genus includes 6 species.
Types of robins:
or Robinia pseudoacacia, Robinia ordinary, Robinia pseudoacacia, Robinia white, real acacia (R. pseudoacacia L.) is a deciduous tree up to 30 meters high and with a trunk diameter of 30-40 cm. Thanks to its spreading, openwork crown, it retains its decorative effect throughout the season. Fragrant white or slightly pinkish flowers are collected in dense drooping brushes up to 20 cm long. It does not differ in high frost resistance - it dies at -40 ° С.
This species has a number of decorative forms that differ in the shape of the crown: pyramidal (f. stricta), umbrella (f. umbraculifera), etc.; according to the color of flowers and the nature of flowering: white-pink (f. decaisheana), always blooming (f. semperflorens); according to the shape and color of the leaves: single-leaved (f. unifolia), golden (f. aurea), dissected-leaved (f. dissecta), etc., as well as a typical form, without thorns (f. inermis).
(R. viscosa) grows up to 12 meters in height, has a wide-rounded crown with bright green foliage that stays on the branches until late autumn. Shoots may have small thorns, or do without them. This type of Robinia got its name due to the glandular sticky hairs densely covering the petioles of leaves and inflorescences. The large, unscented flowers are pink-violet in color and form small, upright racemes that profusely cover the tree at the time of flowering. Photophilous. The decorative form of Robinia sticky - (f. bellarosea) - is very effective, with larger flowers of a dark pink hue.
Robinia Elliot or Robinia pink (R. elliottii) is now a separate botanical species. This is a low sprawling bush, in May-June covered with inflorescences consisting of pink or lilac flowers on petioles. Drought-resistant. Honey plant.
(R. hispida) - shrub 1-3 m tall, growing due to abundant root offspring. The specific name of the plant is due to the long, straight, reddish bristles covering the shoots devoid of thorns. Leaves up to 23 cm long with 7-13 round-elliptical leaflets, dark green above, glaucous below. The flowers are pink or purple-pink, up to 2.5 cm, collected 3-9 in loose brushes. Blooms initially in June for 20 days, then intermittently until September. One of the most decorative Robinia. Recommended for single, group plantings and in the southern regions of Russia.
Robinia lush (R. luxurians) is a low-growing tree, reaching a height of 10 meters, often growing bushy. The bark is light brown, cracking into small scales. Shoots with styloid thorns. Leaves up to 20 cm long, consist of 15-20 oblong-elliptical leaflets 2-3.5 cm long located at an angle. Whitish-pink flowers about 2 cm long are collected in dense inflorescences.
(R. neomexicana) has the form of a shrub or a small tree up to 8-12 m tall. On the shoots there are numerous glandular-pubescent spines. The leaves are large, grayish-green, pinnate, with hairy petioles. Flowers up to 2.5 cm, pink-violet, without aroma, collected in dense erect brushes. Blooms intermittently from June to September. This is the fastest growing and most frost-resistant type of robin. The plant is stable, unpretentious, compact, during the flowering period it has a very spectacular appearance. Ideal for urban landscaping.
Growing conditions
Robinia prefers neutral to slightly acidic light, well-drained soils and well-lit areas. Grows well in partial shade and diffused light. Does not tolerate soil compaction and stagnant water. It is highly resistant to wind, drought and frost. Shoots of young trees in winter can freeze to the level of snow cover, but with the cessation of frost they quickly recover. Feels great in urban environments.
Application
Robinia, a tree and shrub, is widely cultivated mainly for its high decorative properties. Tree-like forms of robinia in landscape design often used as a solitary specimen tree, as well as in group park plantings and street landscaping. Robinia shrub is great for creating trellises and hedges. There are a number of hybrids and breeding varieties of robinia, which are particularly decorative. Robinia tolerates well, various figures can be easily formed from a shrub or crown of a false acacia tree.
White locust (robinia pseudoacacia) is an excellent early honey plant. Also, this tree is often used to strengthen sands, ravines, railway embankments and in the construction of windbreaks. Robinia flowers are used in homeopathy and herbal medicine, and very dense, hard, resistant to decay and abrasion, wood is a material for the manufacture of parquet, as well as sleepers and piles.
Care
Robinia is very unpretentious. Caring for her is limited to moderate watering during the dry season and annual pruning of the crown of the tree, or shearing the bush, if provided.
reproduction
The main, simplest and most widespread way of propagating Robinia is sowing seeds. The optimal sowing time is spring, when leaves begin to bloom on adult white acacia trees. To improve germination, it is necessary to carry out a monthly seeding, or it: before sowing, the seeds are scalded with boiling water, then immediately immersed in cold water and hold for 12 hours. Treated seeds, without drying, are sown in moist nutrient soil in a greenhouse or open field by planting the seeds at least 20 centimeters apart.
The optimal temperature regime for the germination of Robinia seeds is 20-25°C. A bed with seeds and emerging seedlings is regularly watered, avoiding waterlogging, and weeds are weeded. Intensive growth of seedlings is facilitated by warm weather, regular watering, the complete absence of weeds, fertilization and treatment of young plants with phytostimulants (Epin, Lariksin, Novosil, etc.). In spring, plants that have reached a height of at least 50 cm and have overwintered well are planted in a permanent place.
Less common is such a method of reproduction as the separation of root offspring. Grafting is also used for highly decorative forms and varieties.
Diseases and pests
Robinia is practically not susceptible to diseases and is not affected by pests.
Popular varieties
Varieties of locust locust
A sun-loving tree, abundantly blooming with a lush hat of small pink fragrant inflorescences, and mistakenly called "pink acacia" is widespread in North America, but it can rarely be seen in central Russia. The botanical name of this false locust is robinia viscosa, which comes from the name of the Frenchman Jean Robin, the chief royal gardener of the French court, who brought the exotic plant to France in 1601.
Robinia sticky (aka pink acacia and false acacia) is a tree belonging to the genus Robinia, the Legume family. The natural range covers the southeast of North America. The species chooses mountain landscapes for growth.
The well-established name of this sun-loving tree, brought to the gardens of France from North America, is acacia. But, as can be seen from the international classifier of flora, it is erroneous. Therefore, in the scientific literature, synonyms are used - "false acacia", "false acacia", "pseudoacacia" or "robinia".
Acacia Robinia is different rapid growth(30-60 cm per season), and in general the height of an adult tree can reach 10 m. It is called sticky because its branches, leaf petioles, axes of inflorescences, pedicels are sticky due to the presence of sticky glandular hairs on their surface.
The leaves of the pink acacia are pinnate, each in the form of an oblong ellipse, blunt at the end, the base is rounded or in the form of a wide wedge, collected from 13-20 oval leaflets. The length of the leaf plate is up to 20 cm, the width is up to 2 cm. Young leaves are completely covered with down, as the tree grows older, the upper surface of the leaf plate becomes bare, and the lower surface may become bare or remain pubescent. The color of the leaves is deep green above, grayish green below. Stipules are spikes up to 5 mm long and may fall off.
White locust is a variety that today is represented by many varieties, and all thanks to selection and crossing, which led to such diversity. And one of its options for decorative cultivation was the pink culture or sticky Robinia.
The main decoration of the pink acacia is a lush flower cap radiating a delicate aroma. Small (up to 2 cm in length) flowers are united by 10-15 pieces into even racemose inflorescences (up to 10 cm in length, up to 5 cm in width). Their pink color can be both very light and saturated. The period when the pink acacia blooms profusely falls on June. Under favorable climatic conditions, a double annual flowering is possible: the first in early summer and the second time in August.
Fruits of acacia pink seeds, closed in oblong (up to 9 cm long) sticky pods with a curved end, loosely covered with glandular hairs. The seeds themselves are also oblong (up to 0.4 cm long), brown in color, with a smooth, non-shiny surface. Fruit ripening begins in August and ends in November; they can hang on a tree without falling off during the entire winter period.
Pink Robinia has a branched, horizontal root system, which makes it able to strengthen slopes, sandstones, wastelands.
Robinia sticky has been considered an ornamental culture since 1791. In countries with favorable climatic conditions for it (Mediterranean, southern Russia), it is actively used in garden and park ensembles. For decorative purposes, both single trees and groups are planted.
Pink acacia: planting and care
Pink acacia is a rather capricious plant, so gardeners must carefully follow the rules for planting and caring for a tropical "guest". She likes to grow in well-lit, elevated, draft-protected places. Due to the fact that the crown of an exotic beauty is sprawling, reaches a diameter of 10 m, the tree must be provided with space.
The choice of a place for planting Robinia is determined by its need for light. Under the sun it develops better. In shaded areas, it will also grow, but it will not bloom as abundantly and may suffer from frost. For pink robins, natural protection from north wind(wall of a house, barn or fence).
In order for Robinia sticky to bloom for a long time and abundantly, it needs a light and fertile soil. And at the beginning of flowering, additional feeding is necessary. But in principle, pink acacia is undemanding to the composition of the soil, it can grow well even on heavy soil, poor in nutrients, but in this case one cannot expect lush flowering from it.
Water the pink acacia sparingly. Abundant application of water to the soil is necessary only for a young planted plant and with a strong drying of the upper soil horizon. Periodically, the near-trunk circle should be weeded.
For better flowering and the formation of a beautiful crown, pruning is done every spring. They cut off the basal shoots, which the pink acacia overgrows very actively, remove damaged and dead branches.
At home, sticky Robinia is not cultivated; this species is exclusively garden. Growing is not difficult; several methods of plant propagation are used:
- Seeds. Germination is almost 100%. Germinate seeds at a temperature of 20 - 25 ° C. Seedlings are transplanted into open ground, reaching a height of 0.5 m.
- cuttings. Lateral roots are cut, placed in a nutrient-rich substrate. Shoots appear quickly, grow intensively (in a couple of months they can rise up to 50 cm).
- Grafting. Grafted on a wild rootstock. To preserve varietal characteristics, mother shoots are cut out.
Pink Robinia is propagated in the spring, until the movement of juice has begun.
Gardeners who decide to plant a false acacia on the site should take into account that the tree is capable of producing basal shoots, which is unfavorable for garden and garden crops growing in the neighborhood. It should also be borne in mind that pink flowers are attractive to pollinating insects.
Pink acacia in the suburbs
Robinia sticky is thermophilic and drought-resistant, so many gardeners are interested in whether the culture will grow in the Moscow region and in general in the middle zone of the country. In mid-latitude conditions, the species is propagated mainly by seeds. You can bring a seedling from another region, but it is unlikely that it will take root, as it is not adapted to local climatic conditions. Even if it takes root, it will grow and develop poorly. Some gardeners practice propagation by grafting on white acacia.
As the winter hardiness of Robinia grows, it increases. But if the winter is severe, then thin twigs and the ends of thick branches can freeze. Young plants can freeze to the snow edge. However, if the roots are alive, the plant recovers due to its rapid growth capacity and active shoot production.
To attract pollinators, Robinia sticky uses not so much a fragrance that is too weak, but the color of the inflorescences: all shades of pink and pink-purple.
So that young plants do not freeze, in the first few years of their life they are covered for a cold period. Spunbond is used as a heater. If the winter is snowy, then you can simply throw snow on the tree. Some gardeners build a shelter out of burlap. It is impossible to bend the upper part of the crown for the winter. Branches can be damaged, which will slow down the growth of the crop.
Pink acacia: medicinal properties
Robinia sticky - a plant not only beautifully flowering, with high decorative qualities, but also medicinal. Both flowers and other parts of the acacia tree have healing properties. In pink flowers are essential oils, useful acids, tannins. Leaves are rich sources of flavonoids and glycosides. The thin bark of young plants is saturated with tannins, oils, and sterols.
Robinia sticky is characterized by all the healing qualities of white acacia: as part of antipyretic and anti-inflammatory drugs, diuretics, distracting rubs for neuralgia and sciatica, in the treatment of gastritis and peptic ulcer.
In many homeopathic preparations from ulcers, gastritis, migraines, the composition contains an extract of a young bark of a false acacia. In folk medicine, the bark and leaves are not used, since in these parts of the plant there is a significant concentration of a poisonous compound - the alkaloid robinin. Previously, a strong laxative was prepared from the leaves and bark. The flowers contain much less robinin, therefore they are actively used in folk medicine.
Recipes for preparation and dosage folk remedies must be strictly observed. In case of an overdose, vomiting and headaches are noted.
Robinia pink flowers are harvested for medicinal purposes in June, at the peak of flowering. Cut off whole inflorescences. Care must be taken not to damage the flowers, not to break the thin branches of the tree. The collected inflorescences are placed on clean paper or cloth. The collection is dried in a shaded, well-ventilated place. Dried raw materials are stored in paper bundles in a cool place.
Various medicinal tinctures are prepared from dried pink acacia flowers:
- Flower infusion for colds, for expectoration and relaxation. A teaspoon of dried flowers is poured with a glass of boiling water, insisted for half an hour. Drink a tablespoon 3 times a day.
- Flower infusion from urolithiasis and other pathologies of the urinary system. A tablespoon of flower raw materials is poured with a glass of boiling water, insisted for half an hour. Drink 1/3 cup 3 times a day after meals.
- Alcohol tincture from the increased acidity of the digestive juice. A tablespoon of flower raw material is poured with half a glass of 40% alcohol, kept for 2 weeks in a shaded place. Drink 20 drops dissolved in water 2 times a day.
- Alcohol tincture for external use in osteochondrosis, varicose veins, rheumatism, sciatica. Take 80 g of a mixture of fresh and dried flowers, pour a glass of alcohol, keep 2 weeks in a shaded place. Used for compresses and rubbing.
Robinia pseudoacacia with pink flowers is a very beautiful exotic plant that can ennoble a personal plot, become a bright, noticeable, eye-pleasing detail of a garden and park landscape, and also has a number of useful medicinal properties. Many gardeners have already appreciated it and "settled" in their country estates.
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White acacia in everyday life is called Robinia pseudoacacia (Robinia pseudoacacia), and we published material about it. Readers were inspired that these "scented clusters" can grow not only in the south, and they ask for more details on how to grow this plant. Will it grow in the Moscow region, near St. Petersburg, in Nizhny Novgorod? To avoid repetition, we decided to tell you more about the pink acacia. All pictures were taken in Central Russia.
The genus was named after Vespasian Robin, who first brought this plant to Europe from America in 1620. Includes up to 20 North American species of deciduous trees and shrubs. The leaves are large, pinnate, with stipules modified into powerful spines. Flowers moth, white or pink, mostly fragrant, collected in large drooping brushes. The fruits are laterally flattened beans.
The tree looks very decorative, even without flowers. Thanks to large feathery leaves, it looks southern. The openwork crown gives the tree lightness and does not give much shade; any flowers grow well under it.
Robinia is undemanding to fertility and soil moisture, prefers limestone. It is noticed that
grows well in cities near houses, where there is often a lot of construction debris in the ground (broken brick, whitewash, etc.). On damp, heavy soils, it is more likely to suffer from frost. Very photophilous and drought-resistant.
HOW TO PRODUCE ACACAIA
The easiest way is to dig out the root growth. But sometimes gardeners note that the tree grows singly and does not give shoots.
Robinia is propagated by seeds. It is better to collect them from local, most winter-hardy plants. In the middle lane, Robinia seeds ripen normally and are suitable for sowing.
Seeds are usually sown in the spring after a month of stratification or scalding with boiling water (5-7 seconds, and then in cold water). This is necessary so that the strong shell of the seeds bursts from the temperature difference. After treatment in boiling water, the seeds are left for 12 hours in water until completely swollen.
Scalded seeds are sown immediately: in April in a box, in May in a greenhouse. For successful germination and growth of young seedlings, the temperature must be above 20 C.
In the first season after sowing, seedlings should be well looked after: weed, water, prevent drying, feed.
The first half of summer can be given nitrogen fertilizing (manure infusion, herbs), as well as complex fertilizers. From the second half of summer, exclude nitrogen and apply only phosphate-potassium fertilizers (you can use complex fertilizers with the prefix "autumn"). All legumes love alkaline soil, so ash and dolomite flour will be useful. Such a feeding regime will allow you to grow strong plants that will not fatten and will winter well.
WINTER RESISTANCE OF ACACIA
It should be noted that young plants are poorly winter-hardy, so you need to sow more seeds. After the first winter, the strongest will survive.
If the seedling is purchased, then for reliability, you can build a hut of 34 rails around it and wrap it with a double layer of spunbond. Mulch the roots with compost or earth.
With age, the winter hardiness of Robinia increases, but sometimes, at very low temperatures, the plants are damaged to the level of snow. Due to the high shoot-forming ability, provided that the roots and root collar are preserved, the plants recover quickly.
WHITE ACACIA
Robinia pseudoacacia, or pseudoacacia (R. pseudoacacia L.) first appeared in the catalogs of the Botanical Garden of St. Petersburg in 1796, but until 1887 (and possibly longer) it was noted only in greenhouses and potted arboretum. Tests in the open field began, presumably, in the 30s of the last century. In the Botanical Garden of St. Petersburg, in the park, specimens of this species have been growing since 1954, recover well after freezing, and bloom regularly.
In Moscow, Robinia can be seen in large numbers in Kuzminsky Park near the Veterinary Academy.
In Nizhny Novgorod, black locust grows in the Botanical Garden of the UNN, and is also used in the landscaping of the city in several places, in particular in the center of Sormovo, near the Transfiguration Cathedral.
In addition, the "white locust" can be found in the forests of the Nizhny Novgorod region (Borsky district), where it has become naturalized and reproduces on its own.
It is clear that if acacia gets some care in the botanical gardens, then it grows in the forests, subject to all natural disasters: both droughts (it survived the abnormal heat of 2010) and frosts.
It blooms very profusely, the sweet aroma intensifies in the evening, and the acacia fully corresponds to the poetic lines: "With a delicate aroma, the head is spinning" ...
Robinia pseudoacacia has several garden forms with different crown shapes and leaf colors. Very beautiful trees with fresh bright green foliage. There are also forms with white-pink flowers (with different color intensity). They bloom at the same time as the white locust. In the UNN Botanical Garden, white-pink acacia can be seen in late May, early June (photo 3). A pleasant aroma attracts a lot of bees and bumblebees.
PINK ACACIA
This species is much rarer than the "white locust", the botanical name of sticky Robinia (Robinia viscosa Vent.). However, in Nizhny Novgorod, there is still a pink acacia. And, of course, in the collection of Sergei Marinkov, which contains all the interesting curiosities.
The tree was grown from a cutting grafted onto a stock from a white locust. Now it has grown above four meters, has a lush crown, blooms profusely.
Unlike white locust, which blooms only in spring and early summer, sticky locust blooms twice. At the end of May-June, it gives abundant flowering, and then takes a three-week break. Having regained strength, it begins to bloom in July and continues until frost. The repeat bloom is not as abundant, but the flowers last longer due to the fact that there is no bright sun and intense heat.
The aroma of the pink acacia is weaker than that of the white one, but bumblebees fly to it from everywhere, unmistakably capturing its sweet vibes.
Robinia sticky got its specific name because the shoots, leaf petioles and inflorescences are densely covered with glandular, sticky hairs (photo 2). The spines are very small or absent altogether.
It is believed that sticky locust is less drought and frost-resistant than white locust. But Sergei Marinkov's tree grows outside the garden, near the fence, and does not receive special care (photo 6). However, his pink locust endured several frosty winters with temperatures below 34C and a heat wave in 2010.
LANDING ACACIA
The choice of a place for planting Robinia is determined by its need for light. Under the sun it develops better. In shaded areas, it will also grow, but it will not bloom as abundantly and may suffer from frost. For pink Robins, natural protection from the north wind is also desirable (the wall of a house, a barn or a fence).
All Robinia should be planted in the spring, before bud break. When planting in autumn, the soil is too cold and wet, damaged roots can rot. The root neck is not deepened so that it does not prop up.
Sand is introduced into the planting pit (if the soil is clayey), humus and necessarily some alkaline component - slaked lime, ash, dolomite flour, crushed limestone.
In general, these plants feel better on poor but loose soils than on rich and clayey ones.
That's all the wisdom when growing Robinia. And yet, it is more pleasant to call them acacias. Just think about how wonderful it sounds: "My acacia has blossomed ..." like a dream come true about a warm and fertile south.
N. Petrenko,
photo by S. Marinkov and from the collection of the UNN Botanical Garden
Robinia are often used for landscaping. A single tree or a small group can become a decoration of a personal plot. Forms with golden foliage look great against the background of dark conifers.
Representatives of the genus are deciduous trees (up to 30 m tall) or shrubs (up to 4 m tall). A number of species have sharp strong spines on the branches - modified stipules.
The leaves are large, characteristic of many legumes: pinnate, consist of 7-21 obovate or elliptical leaflets. The flowers are collected in lush racemose inflorescences, usually drooping. The flowers are white or pink, in some species - with a strong pleasant aroma. The fruit is a bean.
The genus Robinia, or pseudoacacia (Robinia), belongs to the legume family (Fabaceae) and includes from 4 to 10 species (according to different scientists) common in North America.
The scientific name is given in honor of the French gardeners, father and son Robins (Jean Robin and Vespasien Robin), who brought the seeds of this plant to Europe and successfully grew the first specimens.
Robinia locust
Robinia pseudoacacia, or white locust (R. pseudoacacia), is found naturally in eastern North America, where it is part of broad-leaved forests. With X!! centuries, it has been widely distributed in European countries as a landscape gardening culture, suitable for planting greenery in cities, creating forest belts in the southern regions.
A tree 12-30 m tall, with an openwork spreading crown, which becomes irregular, "ragged" with age. Young branches and shoots bear large sharp spines in addition to leaves. The upper surface of the leaves is dark green, the lower surface is light, so the trees look especially attractive in the wind. In autumn, the foliage turns into pure light yellow tones, however, this can only be observed in the southern regions.
In the middle lane, the leaves fall green after the first frost. Flowering occurs in June and lasts 7-10 days (depending on the weather). The flowers are white, sometimes slightly pinkish or slightly greenish, very fragrant, collected in lush drooping racemose inflorescences 10-20 cm long.
winter hardiness
In regions with warm winters, pseudoacacia is a very unpretentious plant. In conditions middle lane its winter hardiness increases with age. Young plants in severe winters often freeze to the level of snow, but quickly recover.
Experience shows that black locust can be grown without shelter even near St. Petersburg (Karelian Isthmus). Under these conditions, the tree will be low (3-5 m). in severe winters, the plant freezes over, flowering does not occur every year, but becomes more frequent with age. The clusters of flowers develop not very large, but are as delicate and fragrant as in the south.
Pseudoacacia tolerates anti-aging pruning well, and also quickly recovers after frosty winters.
Special properties
It has a heavy, very durable, highly rot-resistant wood, which is used to make furniture, floors, all kinds of panels and pillars. The ability of the tree to form long rhizomatous shoots with offspring makes it especially valuable for fixing soils and controlling erosion. You should be aware that the leaves, bark and wood of this tree contain substances that are poisonous to humans and cattle (including horses).
decorative forms
There are a number of decorative forms, the most famous and common of which is "Frisia" with golden yellow foliage. The following forms are also of interest.
"Lace Lady", also known as "Twisty Baby", is a small tree or shrub with twisted twigs and "curly" leaves, very effective not only in summer, but also in winter. Suitable for growing in containers, responds well to pruning formation. The variety was patented in 1996 under the name "Loce Lody", currently sold under the commercial name "Twisty Baby";
'Purple Robe' is a short tree with bright mauve flowers, young foliage has a spectacular bronze-red hue.
"Pryamidalis" - a tree with a narrow columnar crown, unfortunately, rarely and not abundantly flowering.
Our reference
Robinia pseudoacacia is durable, can live up to 300 years. It is very resistant to air pollution, therefore it is widely used for planting greenery in cities, creating plantings along highways. Excellent honey plant.
Robinia bristly hairy
Robinia (pseudoacacia) bristle-haired (R. hispida) is common in the southeastern regions of the United States. Known in culture from the middle of XU!!! Century.
Shrub 1-3 m tall, forming dense thickets due to numerous root suckers. All parts of the plant except petals and leaf blades are covered with numerous long bristles.
Run without thorns. The flowers are pink, odorless, collected 3-9 in loose hanging brushes. Blooms in June for 2-3 weeks, may re-bloom in July-August.
Very decorative look, especially suitable for group park plantings and hedges. The Cherokee Indians used this type of Robinia in various ways. An infusion of the roots was used to treat toothache. The leaves were fed to cattle as a tonic. The wood was used to make bows, build fences and hedges, and even to build houses.
Our advice
Top dressing with organic fertilizers is most effective in summer, before flowering and immediately after it.
To do this, use diluted infusions of mullein or bird droppings.
In autumn, nutritious compost is scattered in tree trunks, in spring - complex mineral fertilizer.
It should be noted that in the case of Robinia top dressing should not be abused - this tree develops well and blooms even on poor soils.
Robinia sticky
Robinia (pseudoacacia) sticky (R. viscose) is naturally distributed in the eastern United States. In culture since the end of HU!!! Century.
Tree up to 12 m tall, the crown is wide, often almost rounded. Young shoots, leaf petioles, flower stalks and calyxes are covered with dense glandular hairs, for which the species got its name. The spines are small. Sometimes they are completely absent. Flowering occurs at the end of May-June. The flowers are pink or pink-purple, odorless, collected in racemose inflorescences 5-10 cm long.
This species is less frost and drought resistant than black locust. There are a number of decorative forms, including those with larger intense pink flowers.
Robinia New Mexican
Robinia (pseudoacacia) New Mexican (R. neomexicana) is found naturally in the southwestern United States and in northwestern Mexico. In culture since the first half of the twentieth century.
Shrub or small tree 2-12 m tall. Shoots with spines and hard pubescence. Flowering occurs in June. The flowers are white or pink, in drooping racemes 5-10 cm long.
Despite the southern range, it is quite winter-hardy, characterized by rapid growth. It tolerates air pollution, drought, salinity, and is unpretentious to soil conditions.
A place under the sun
In the conditions of the middle lane, Robinia requires a sunny location, protected from strong, cold winds.
This tree is very unpretentious in terms of soil conditions, is able to tolerate drought and salinity, can thrive on poor sandy substrates, as well as on clay, but grows best on fertile loams with good drainage. Does not tolerate stagnant water in the soil. Robiria, like all legumes, thanks to root bacteria is able to accumulate nitrogen in the soil. Resistant to air pollution.
How to care
Caring for an adult tree is easy. Pruning is carried out as needed: remove dried branches or those that interfere with other plantings. Robinia does not need to form a crown, because by nature it has a neat shape.
Pseudoacacia tolerates anti-aging pruning well, recovers quickly after frosty winters. Watering is also not necessary, it is only important for newly planted specimens.
It is useful to keep the trunk circles free of weeds - mulching with sawdust or shredded bark with a layer of 4-6 cm will help here.
In the conditions of Russia, white locust is practically not susceptible to diseases and pests.
Robinia reproduce by seeds and root offspring. Seed propagation of false acacia is not difficult.
Seeds before planting are scalded with boiling water for 5-10 seconds and immediately placed in cold water. These measures violate the integrity of the peel and significantly accelerate germination.
Mechanical stratification is possible: grinding with coarse sand, sanding.
Scalded seeds are immediately sown in the ground. best time for this - April-May.
If weather conditions do not allow, sowing is done in boxes on the windowsill; in warmer weather, you can use the greenhouse. For germination and development of seedlings, a temperature of at least +20 degrees is required. Planting young plants in the ground is possible as soon as the threat of frost has passed. They are placed on a specially allocated solar bed.
Care for seedlings
The soil should be prepared in advance: make nutritious compost, wood ash. The distance between specimens must be at least 30 cm.
Young plants are weeded, regularly watered, fed with complex mineral fertilizer.
Careful intensive care, combined with warm weather, will allow you to get meter-high seedlings with side branches by autumn.
In the spring they can be planted in a permanent place.
Root suckers and cuttings
Reproduction by root offspring is even simpler: you should dig up a young plant with a piece of the mother's rhizome and plant it in a new place.
It is possible to propagate by root cuttings. To do this, with the onset of warm weather, usually in early - mid-May, one or more lateral roots are dug out from an adult tree, from which cuttings are cut.
Their diameter should be at least 0.5 cm, length - at least 20-25 cm.
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The main problem in growing Robinia is the numerous root offspring that require removal. They grow in considerable numbers, often at a distance of several meters from the mother trunk. This can harm neighboring plantings.
Root cuttings are planted obliquely in loose nutrient soil.
In this case, the upper cut of the root should be at the level of the soil surface. Under favorable running conditions, young shoots will appear in 2-3 weeks, which by autumn can reach a meter height.
It should be noted that under the conditions of the middle zone, green robinia cuttings take root poorly, and the plants obtained from them are usually severely damaged in the very first winter. In this regard, Robinia is best propagated by root offspring.
The best time for planting false acacia is spring, until the buds have pecked. Autumn planting gives good results only in southern regions with warm winters.
According to the magazine "Lubimaya Dacha"
The genus includes about 20 species of trees and shrubs with pinnate foliage, with stipules, then changing into powerful spines, with buds hidden under the leaf scar. With pink or white large, fragrant flowers in drooping racemes.
Types and varieties of Robinia
All types of Robinia are cultivated as ornamental trees. Robinia is propagated by sowing seeds after a monthly stratification. It is recommended to collect seeds from local, winter-hardy plants.
Robinia false acacia or its other name White acacia
Homeland North America, where it grows on limestone moist soils, in deciduous forests. Robinia pseudoacacia is popular in Western Europe, in some areas it is sometimes considered an aboriginal species.
Tree 25 m in height, with a trunk diameter of 40 cm, with a spreading, openwork crown. The bark on the trunks is grey, with long fissures; when young, the bark is brown. Shoots are green-gray or red-brown, glabrous, prickly.
Leaves pinnate, alternate, of 7-19 leaflets elliptical or obovate. Leaves are green in spring, dark green in summer, sometimes yellowish, glaucous below, green in autumn. The flowers of black locust are white or pinkish, fragrant, in drooping racemes about 22 cm long. The fruit is a flat, brown, linear-oblong bean.
The young bush of black locust is sensitive to low temperatures. Winter hardiness increases with age, however, at low temperatures, the shrub can be damaged to the snow cover. However, due to the excellent shoot-forming ability, while maintaining the roots, the shrub is quickly restored.
White acacia grows quickly, especially in the first 10 years, tolerates pruning and replanting, is undemanding to soil fertility, but suffers from frost on damp soils. White acacia is photophilous and drought-resistant.
Robinia pseudoacacia is one of the smoke-resistant species with a branching root system. Like other representatives of this family, tubers containing bacteria capable of combining atmospheric nitrogen and thereby enriching the soil develop on the roots of white acacia.
White acacia blossoms annually after the appearance of leaves at a time when most of the trees and shrubs are already fading. Foliage persists until permanent frost and falls almost without changing the green color. In winter, decorative shrubs give countless fruits that last until spring. Robinia pseudoacacia propagates by seeds. Her seeds are hard.
Not winter-hardy in the Moscow region, young specimens can sometimes freeze up to the root collar. The winter hardiness of Robinia increases with age, and at -40 ° C even mature trees can die. Robinia is one of ornamental shrubs in the landscaping of southern areas, widely used in the planting of streets, alleys, group plantings in parks and gardens. Standard and spherical forms of Robinia are used in various plantings.
The white acacia is characterized by a huge variety of decorative forms that differ in the shape of the crown: umbrella, pyramidal; by coloring flowers; according to the color and shape of the leaves: as well as the shape, without thorns.
Robinia sticky
Tree 11 m tall with a broadly rounded crown and smooth bark. Robinia sticky got its name because the leaf petioles, shoots and inflorescences are covered with sticky hairs. There are no spines or they are small. The leaves of Robinia sticky are 20 cm long. In autumn, the leaves stay on the branches for a long time. Large flowers of pink-violet coloring, odorless, collected in erect brushes, luxuriantly covering the tree during flowering.
Robinia New Mexican
Small tree or shrub up to 12 m tall. Shoots with countless thorns. The leaves are about 20 cm long, large, gray-green, with hairy petioles. The flowers of Robinia New Mexico are pink-violet, odorless. Blooms intermittently from early June to September.
Fast growing and hardy among other Robinia. It is steady in the city, it is unpretentious to soils. Robinia New Mexico is spectacular during flowering. Its small size can be used in gardens and parks in alley and street plantings.
Growing Robinia is easy. The main conditions will be - the abundance of the sun and the absence of groundwater. If your site is located in a swamp or in a forest, you will have to say goodbye to the dream of this Robinia.
Robinia planting
the place for planting a seedling of this shrub is determined by the need for light. Pink-coloured Robins require natural protection from the winds.
All robins should be planted in the spring, before buds appear. When planting in autumn, the soil is cold for the growth of the roots of heat-loving plants and wet, which is why the roots immediately begin to rot. It is impossible to plant Robinia deeply - because of damping. Sand and compost with the addition of an alkaline substance - dolomite flour, ash, crushed limestone are suitable as soil. Robinia feels better on poor soils.
