A drought-tolerant member of the pea family, the New Mexico locust is a small tree that grows throughout most of the Southwestern U.S., favoring foothill ecosystems. In late spring, it is easily identified by its pendulous clusters of fragrant, pink flowers.
Planted on our Littleton, Colorado, farm before we bought the property, we appreciate their beauty and drought-tolerance but must deal with their suckering; if we left them unchecked, they would soon spread across the lower third of the farm. In addition, their thorny stems discourage trimming once they become established.
On the positive side, their bean pod seeds are fed on by a variety of wildlife and I get plenty of exercise sickling down the tiny saplings that invade our "lawn." Natural beauty often comes with a mix of benefits and challenges.
Planted on our Littleton, Colorado, farm before we bought the property, we appreciate their beauty and drought-tolerance but must deal with their suckering; if we left them unchecked, they would soon spread across the lower third of the farm. In addition, their thorny stems discourage trimming once they become established.
On the positive side, their bean pod seeds are fed on by a variety of wildlife and I get plenty of exercise sickling down the tiny saplings that invade our "lawn." Natural beauty often comes with a mix of benefits and challenges.
