Robinia hispida

A lovely plant native to the South-east United States,Robinia hispida has trailing panicles of pretty, rose-pink, pea-like flowers in midsummer which incidentally are edible. These flowers are sometimes followed by interesting, purple seed pods in warm summers. The stem is covered with curious, soft bristles.

The branches of this lovely plant tend to be brittle and it is therefore often grown trained against a sunny wall or fence out of the wind. On a sheltered site, Robinia hispida is a good choice of plant for stabilizing embankments and slopes and for planting in poor, dry soils. It also makes an interesting informal hedge.

• Position: Full sun.
• Soil: Well drained soil. Robinia hispida will tolerate nutritionally poor, dry soils if kept watered well until established.
• Hardiness: Hardy.
• Flowering Period: May - June.
• Rate of Growth: Moderate.
• Habit: Usually a large branching shrub with a reasonably open habit. In warm, sheltered areas, Robinia hispida can ocasionally grow to be a very small tree.
  • Height: 3 m (10 ft).
  • Spread: 3 m (10 ft).

• Notes: Robinia hispida flowers well and is particularly spectacular when grown against a warm, sunny wall.