Content
White acacia is a beautiful tree with a wide, spreading crown and a fairly powerful trunk. It grows well in open, sunny areas and is used mainly in single plantings. The main options for using wood in garden design, as well as recommendations for planting and caring for it, are described in this article.
Description of Robinia false acacia
White acacia is a tree from the Robinia genus and belongs to the legume family. Has several names:
- black locust;
- Robinia pseudoacacia;
- Robinia false acacia;
- Common Robinia.
Strictly speaking, the name “white acacia” is erroneous from a botanical point of view. Nevertheless, it managed to take root and actually became generally accepted.
White acacia is a large tree with a spreading crown and a wide trunk with a diameter of up to 90 cm. The bark is usually gray-brown in color and smooth.Then it begins to darken, thicken and become covered with cracks with quite a deep depth.
The shoots of white acacia branch well and are colored light olive. Small buds are visible on the surface. The crown is openwork, graceful, rounded in the upper part, and in the lower part it gives several wide tiers that are separated from each other. The root system of white acacia is well developed, penetrates far into the depths and spreads 5-7 m wide.
The leaves of white acacia are light green in color, often bluish, and imparipinnate. Each leaf consists of several lobes - from 7 to 21. They grow on very short petioles. The length of the leaf plate is up to 4 cm, the width is only 1.5 cm. The tops are rounded and can also be notched. On the back of the leaves there is a noticeable shade of silver.
White acacia flowers have a greenish-whitish or cream color, no more than 1.7 cm wide. The shape is bell-shaped, collected in racemes, the total length is up to 20 cm. In the second half of summer, fruits are formed - beans up to 12 cm long. They are colored brownish-brown tones. Each bean contains several seeds (3-15), shaped like kidneys. The color is light green.
The name of the culture is associated with snow-white flowers
In a temperate climate zone, for example, in the middle zone, it occurs in June or July. In the south, the first buds bloom already in May.
Where does white acacia grow in Russia?
The homeland of white acacia is North America. From there it spread to different regions of the planet with moderate climatic conditions. Used as an ornamental plant and to create windbreaks.
White acacia appeared in Russia in 1756 - it was planted in Moscow on the territory of the modern Neskuchny Garden. Then the tree spread to neighboring regions of the middle zone, the Volga region, the Black Earth Region and the South. The plant is drought-resistant and unpretentious. Therefore, it takes root even in heavily polluted city air.
Frost resistance of white acacia
The description of white acacia also includes such an important indicator as the frost resistance of the plant. The tree can withstand frosts down to -30 degrees. Although in the conditions of central Russia and the Moscow region, annual shoots often freeze, the plant is hardy and recovers well. However, in the Urals, Siberia and the Far East, cultivation is difficult.
White acacia height
The height of Robinia pseudoacacia is 15-20 m. At the same time, seedlings are usually 100-120 cm. In the first years, the growth rate is good and, depending on care, ranges from 20 cm to 1 m. By the age of 25-30, the trunk reaches a diameter of 50-60 cm. Then the pace slows down, the crown begins to thin out. The total life expectancy is 80-100 years. It is also worth keeping in mind that in temperate climates the height reaches only 6-7 m.
Advantages and disadvantages
White acacia is an unpretentious and quite beautiful tree that is easy to grow. It is decorative throughout the season, including during flowering and autumn. Frost resistance is quite high, but in some regions it can freeze slightly, even in the conditions of central Russia.
White acacia is decorative in summer and autumn
Pros:
- unpretentiousness, drought resistance;
- frost resistance;
- very good immunity;
- durable wood;
- high growth rates;
- can be used for wind protection;
- medicinal raw materials.
Minuses:
- in frosty regions, cultivation is difficult;
- flowering in some areas later;
- In some varieties, the period of appearance of inflorescences is very short.
Varieties of white acacia
There are several varieties of white acacia, each of them differs in height, crown shape and other features. The most common representatives are:
- Robinia viscosa produces a round, fairly spreading crown. The tree is tall, reaching 10-11 m. The bark is smooth and uniform. The name refers to the sticky hairs that cover the shoots and inflorescences. The leaves are large, up to 20 cm long, and remain on the branches until mid-autumn. The white acacia flowers of this variety have an interesting pinkish-purple color and are quite large. They are organized into inflorescences - straight racemes that appear in large quantities.
- Robinia neomexicana is a popular variety of black locust. It is a fairly large tree up to 12 m in height. The shoots are covered with thorns, the leaves are large, gray-green in color, with hairy petioles. The flowers are also pink-violet and appear in large quantities. This variety of white acacia blooms from June until the first ten days of September.
- The bristle-haired black locust (Robínia híspida) is not a tree, it is just a low-growing shrub up to 3 m high. The name is associated with the reddish bristles that cover the shoots and petioles. Flowers are beautiful, small
sizes, light pink tone.
How to plant white acacia
It is better to plan planting white acacia in the middle or second half of April, when the likelihood of frost is minimal. To do this, select a spacious place and dig a hole of medium depth (50-60 cm) at a distance of at least 4 m from the nearest plantings and buildings. The planting process is as follows:
- A hole is formed and stones are placed at the bottom.
- The seedling is rooted and covered with fertile, loose soil.
- Compact the soil so that the root collar goes slightly below the surface.
- Water with settled water.
Rules of care
White acacia is unpretentious, so it is not difficult to care for it. The tree is drought-resistant, but it is advisable to water young seedlings every week in the first two years. After this, the soil is thoroughly loosened and weeds are periodically removed. It is also advisable to mulch the tree trunk with peat or fallen leaves.
Mature trees are watered only during prolonged drought. As for fertilizing, they need to be applied only in the third season after planting. In April, May and June, a complex fertilizer is given, which can be replaced with liquid organic matter, for example, mullein infusion 1:10.
The crown of white acacia grows evenly, so it is not necessary to do any special pruning. In early spring, it is recommended to only remove old branches that are diseased, dried out, or damaged by frost. In the fall, you can perform light formative pruning, removing shoots that spoil the appearance.
How to propagate white acacia
There are several ways to propagate white stock, for example, planting by seeds or cuttings. Oddly enough, one of the common options is growing from seeds. They can be purchased at the store or assembled yourself. Growing seedlings from young shoots is also quite accessible.
Growing white acacia from seeds
One of the ways to propagate white acacia is by seeds. They are bought in specialized stores or collected independently from late October to mid-November (it is advisable to arrive before the first frost). The beans are placed in paper or cloth bags and stored in the refrigerator.
Each bean contains an average of 5-10 dark brown seeds
Planting is planned for the end of April, when the foliage blooms on the white acacia. Before this, they are doused with boiling water, then placed in a container with cold water for 12 hours. Next, they are planted to a depth of 2 cm in fertile soil directly into the ground or into a greenhouse. The interval between sowings is 20-30 cm. The bed should be covered with film to create greenhouse conditions and watered regularly.
For the winter, white acacia seedlings are covered, and next spring those that have successfully survived the frosts and grown at least 50 cm are selected. They are transplanted to a permanent place, periodically watered and fed.
Propagation of Robinia by cuttings
Propagation of white acacia by cuttings begins at the beginning or end of summer. The apical annual shoots are cut 10-15 cm long. An oblique lower cut and a straight upper cut are made, placed overnight in a solution of a growth stimulator, for example, "Epin" and then planted in a fertile soil mixture. Cover with a jar, periodically water and ventilate. In the fall, they are planted in a permanent place and mulched.
Propagation by root cuttings
There is also a way to propagate white acacia using root cuttings, i.e. offspring. Work begins in mid-May, when there will definitely be no frost. The side root of the tree is dug up and cut into 15-20 cm long shanks. The upper cut is made at an oblique angle and sprinkled with crushed coal.
The resulting cuttings are immediately planted in light, fertile soil at an angle, and they also begin to grow under a jar or film. Periodically, the shelter is removed for ventilation or watering. A white acacia seedling can be moved to a permanent place in September and a month later thoroughly mulched for the winter.
Diseases and pests of white acacia
White acacia practically does not suffer from diseases, so it does not require special treatment. Sometimes you may encounter a pest invasion:
- caterpillars of various types;
- scale insects;
- bag butterfly.
To combat them, use hydrocyanic acid or other insecticides:
- "Aktara";
- "Colorado";
- "Karbofos";
- "Inta-Vir".
Robinia in landscape design
White acacia is an ornamental plant, so it is often used in landscape design. As a rule, it is suitable for single planting. However, the branches are quite flexible and can crawl along the support. Therefore, wood is also used in vertical gardening, for example, to decorate arches and gazebos.
The main uses for garden decoration are shown below:
- Landing next to the road.
- Single occupancy.
- Landing near the house.
- Another option near the road.
Conclusion
White acacia is a winter-hardy, unpretentious tree that can be grown everywhere in the middle zone and neighboring regions. It is not afraid of even prolonged drought and rarely suffers from diseases and pests. In fact, care comes down to only rare watering, fertilizing and spring pruning.
