New Mexico Locust
Robinia neomexicana
- Native to:
- Mexico, United States
JerryFriedman
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Robinia
- Species:
- Robinia neomexicana
- USDA Symbol:
- RONE
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub , Tree
- Height:
- 760 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul
- Bloom Colors:
- pink, rose
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★★☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★★★☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Agonopterix sanguinella, Cecropis moth (Automeris cecrops), Euclea dolliana, Leucoptera robinella, oak leafminer (Chrysaster ostensackenella), Oslar's eacles (Eacles oslari), tricolor buckmoth (Hemileuca tricolor), Mexican yellow (Eurema mexicana), Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, birds, small mammals
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fragrant:
- Yes
- Fall Color:
- yellow
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from root crown and rhizomes after fire. Often forms dense thickets in post-fire environments.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rocky, well-drained sandy loam
- pH:
- 6.0 - 8.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- commonly found in arid and semi-arid regions
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 14–30 days
- Notes:
- Scarification with hot water or mechanical abrasion followed by cold stratification improves germination rates significantly.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Scarification using dry tumbling with grit and pea gravel for 5 to 7 days. Soaking/Leaching in a rubber-lined rock tumbler jar with tap water, changing water daily to remove any inhibitors.
Establishment: Seeds collected in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. No stratification required. The duration of tumbling for the soaking/leaching process is based on the appearance of the seed and the leach water.
Source: npn.rngr.net