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Pink acacia or sticky locust is a spectacular representative of the Legume family with purple-pink flowers collected in erect racemes. It is popularly known as pseudo- or false acacia and is widely used in alternative medicine.
Description and photo of pink acacia
Robinia adhesive is a tree with a spreading, lush crown, dense, even bark, colored rich brown, and a well-branched, horizontal root system that helps strengthen slopes, heaths and sandstones.
During the season, the acacia stretches by 30-60 cm and eventually grows up to 10 m in height.
The pedicels, axes of inflorescences, petioles of leaf blades and branches of Robinia are covered with sticky glandular hairs, which is why it is called sticky.
Acacia of this type has odd-pinnate leaves, consisting of 13-20 oblong-elliptical segments with a blunt tip and a rounded or wide wedge-like base. They grow up to 20 cm in length and up to 2 cm in width.
Young Robinia plates are completely covered with hair, which gradually disappears from the surface of the leaf; the lower part may remain pubescent
The flowing acacias of this species are two-colored.They are rich green above, grayish-green below. Spike-shaped stipules grow up to 5 mm and are prone to shedding.
The main advantage of Robinia adhesive is considered to be its lush flower cap, which spreads a delicate aroma around itself and is colored in a pink shade of varying intensity. Small flowers, the diameter of which does not exceed 2 cm, are collected in 10-15 pieces in even racemose inflorescences up to 10 cm long and up to 5 cm wide.
Pink acacia blooms in June; under favorable climatic conditions, it can occur again in August.
The oblong, smooth, brown seeds of Robinia adhesive are hidden in sticky, elongated pods, curved at the end, covered with sparse glandular hairs.
Where does it grow
The natural habitat of black locust is considered to be the mountainous landscapes of southeastern North America. Since 1791, pink acacia has become an ornamental crop; it is successfully grown in the Mediterranean countries and in southern Russia.
Frost resistance
Robinia adhesive can tolerate temperatures down to -28 0C. In severe frosts, young shoots of false locust may freeze.
Advantages and disadvantages
Pink acacia is tolerant of air pollution and soil salinity on seaside embankments. Like other members of the Legume family, it is capable of accumulating nitrogen in the soil as a result of the complex process of photosynthesis. Acacia bark and flowers are rich in essential oils, flavonoids, tannins and organic acids, which is why they are widely used in folk medicine.
Robinia infusion treats neuralgia, rheumatism, urolithiasis and diseases of the digestive system.
Pros:
- Robinia is a good honey plant;
- beautiful flowering;
- high frost resistance;
- undemanding to soil;
- unique healing properties;
- ability to enrich the soil with nitrogen.
Minuses:
- Robinia has low drought tolerance.
Growing and care
Pink acacia develops quickly in elevated areas protected from drafts. She loves good light, but tolerates partial shade well. A tree planted in the shade will bloom worse and will suffer from frost. He also needs protection from northern winds. A fence, barn or house wall can be a shelter for Robinia.
Robinia adhesive is undemanding to soil quality and grows at approximately the same speed on sandy, loamy, clayey, depleted, well-drained, moist or dry soils.
Pink acacia needs basic care, including standard agrotechnical manipulations:
- Feeding. For abundant flowering, at the beginning of the budding period, mineral fertilizers are added to the soil under the pink acacia. In spring, the tree is fed with compost and humus.
- Watering. Mature black locust requires moderate moisture. Abundant watering is needed only for young trees and when the top layer of soil is very dry.
- Soil treatment. The tree trunk circle is periodically weeded from weeds and loosened.
- Trimmings. In order for pink robinia to bloom better, it is pruned every spring. During the procedure, dead, damaged and root shoots are removed from the tree.
- Shelter for the winter.Before the onset of frost, young Robinia trees are covered with spandbond, covered with snow or hidden under a kind of “hut” constructed from branches, supports and burlap.
It is not recommended to bend the upper part of the crown of pink acacia due to the risk of damaging the branches and slowing down development
Pink acacia in the Moscow region
The heat-loving and drought-resistant sticky locust, brought from other regions, is unlikely to take root in the Moscow region and central Russia. Even if the tree adapts to the local climate, it will grow slower and develop worse. Therefore, experienced gardeners practice propagation of African locust by seeds or by grafting on white acacia.
As Robinia adhesive grows, its frost resistance increases. But in harsh winters, thin shoots and the tips of thick branches can freeze. Young Robinia trees can freeze to the snow edge.
If roots, they are restored due to the active release of shoots and rapid growth rates
Reproduction methods
Pink acacia belongs to the category of garden plants and reproduces in several different ways:
- Seeds. The germination of seed collected from pink acacia lasts up to 10 years. On the steep slopes of ravines, it is recommended to sow seeds in nests of 5-10 pieces each. This can be done in April or immediately after the summer harvest. At home, planting material is sown in February or March. First, the seeds of sticky locust are doused with boiling water and immersed in ice water. They are then sown in cassettes to a depth of approximately 10 mm. The containers are wrapped in polyethylene and kept in diffused light and a temperature of +20-23 0C. Crops are ventilated daily and watered as the soil dries out.Shoots will appear in about two weeks. They are grown open and hardened off outside in the summer. The sprouts are planted in a permanent place after a year.
- By shoots. In the spring, the root shoots are dug up and transplanted to a new location.
- By layering. The side shoots of Robinia are cut with adhesive, bent to the ground, fixed and covered with soil. The cuttings are regularly watered with cool, settled water and transplanted to a permanent location next spring.
- By cuttings. In the spring, cuttings of at least 15 cm in length are cut from the upper shoots of adult pink acacia and planted in the ground or a container filled with a mixture of sand and peat. The planting material is covered with glass or plastic, ventilated daily and watered as the soil dries. In the fall or next spring, the rooted plants are transplanted to a permanent location.
When planting black locust on your site, it is important to remember that it attracts pollinating insects with its pink flowers and is prone to the formation of basal shoots.
Basal shoots have an adverse effect on garden and vegetable crops growing in the neighborhood.
Diseases and pests
Pink acacia is immune to most diseases and pests. But under unfavorable conditions, the immunity of the sticky locust weakens, and it becomes vulnerable to:
- Spider mite. When infected by a pest, the lower part of the leaves of pink acacia becomes covered with reddish dots. Later, a gradually spreading cobweb appears on the tree. The pest can be destroyed by controlling the humidity of the surrounding air and wiping the branches and leaves with a soap solution.
In case of severe infection, acaricidal drugs are used
- Bacteria.Spots appear on the leaves of an infected plant.
You can revive pink acacia by treating the affected plates with a solution of copper sulfate or fungicides
Conclusion
Pink acacia is a highly decorative tree with an elegant openwork crown and spectacular racemose inflorescences that attract pollinating insects. It is considered an excellent honey plant and, due to its unique healing properties, is widely used in folk medicine.
