New Mexico Locust and Papilionaceous Flowers

I have grown New Mexico locust (Robinia neomexicana) in the past for some contract grows and I quickly learned that the spines don’t get any friendlier in cultivation. Oh, and I mentioned that this plant grows in thickets and so where I grew it in our nursery the roots escaped the containers and we now have a small thicket. Yikes! Oh well, we get pinkish purplish papilionaceous flowers in late April and into May. In the mountains it is definitely a May and June bloomer. Fun to photograph, but bring band aids. The photos are mine.