Robinia pseudoacacia ‘Frisia’

golden false acacia, golden locust

Outstanding Qualities The brilliant lemon-yellow leaves of golden locust are a beacon in the spring and summer landscape. The sunshine glow of this tree remains consistently bright from spring until fall. If placed in partial shade the foliage will be bright chartreuse. Each of its leaves is up to 12 inches long and composed of up to 23 oval leaflets. This creates bright shade beneath this lovely tree. In late spring and early summer, it produces hanging clusters of fragrant, pea-like, white flowers. It is a remarkably tough tree, growing vigorously in poor soil and in polluted urban conditions. It tolerates heavy clay soil if there is adequate drainage, and with little extra water it sails through Pacific Northwest summers, noted for their prolonged dry spells. The rugged branching pattern and deeply furrowed bark that develops on mature trees are picturesque.
Culture Golden locust adapts readily to a wide range of soil types, as long as there is good drainage. It grows fastest in full sun and fertile, humus-rich soil with regular summer irrigation. Once established, it is extremely drought tolerant. Gardening beneath golden false acacia can cause root suckers; remove them as close to the underground root as possible.
Growing Habit This brilliantly colored tree creates a roughly rectangular outline with coarse, dramatic, gray-black branches. Ten-year-old trees reach 20 to 25 feet tall and 12 to 15 feet wide. Mature trees reach 40 to 50 feet tall and 20 to 30 feet wide. The branches are somewhat brittle.
Hardiness USDA zones 4 to 9
Plant image
Image © Richie Steffen/Great Plant Picks