River locust has become one of my favorite plants since starting this nursery. Why it is not more widely known and planted is completely bewildering to me!
River locust just wants to grow! This special shrub is considered a native plant in certain parts of the United States.
This plant is happy in a variety of soil types, dryish or wetish, and in sunny or shady conditions. Part of its adaptability is due to its ability to take nitrogen right out of the air!
What Is Nitrogen Fixation?
Nitrogen fixation is essentially when a plant can convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form which can be used in the soil by plants.
Generally, if a plant can fix its own nitrogen, it can more easily become independent and live in more challenging contexts with lower fertility.
This extra nitrogen can be used by other plants as well, as river locust can be pruned and the prunings can be used as a mulch around other plants. Check out chop and drop videos on youtube!
River locust has wonderfully complex purple-orange flowers. These are attractive to a number of pollinators.
Growth Parameters:
Expect a full size multi-stem shrub, up to about 12 feet. River locust does great in part shade, it will grow slower but you’ll be surprised how well it will still grow. Can be pruned as a small tree, a more shrubby bush, or even coppiced to manage size and refresh.
