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Trees

Robinia pseudoacacia 'Tortuosa'

A bushy, medium-sized deciduous tree with thorny, contorted branches and an oval crown. Dark green leaves hang from corkscrew-shaped shoots, turning to yellow in the autumn. Rarely, pale pink to white, fragrant flowers are produced in dropping racemes in the spring on mature trees. Mature trees have textured bark

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Ultimate height

4–8 metres

Time to ultimate height

10–20 years

Ultimate spread

4–8 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Drought resistance

Yes

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Fabaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
Potentially harmful: Harmful if eaten, skin irritant. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling Pets: Harmful if eaten, skin irritant - for further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Genus: Robinia are vigorous suckering trees and shrubs, sometimes thorny, with pinnate leaves and racemes of pea-type flowers in early summer, sometimes followed by seed pods
Name status: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in any soil in good light. Remove any suckers that grow, which may have long thorns. For more advice see tree cultivation. Has the potential to become a nuisance if not managed well

Propagation

Propagate by hardwood cuttings or grafting

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Architectural
Wildlife gardens
Low Maintenance

Pruning

Pruning group 1 or Pruning group 7; pruning should be done in late summer or early autumn to prevent bleeding; sucker removal if necessary, in autumn

Pests

Genereally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus

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