There are several specimens of this growing in a park near my house in Seattle, WA. They are 30' - 40' tall and as wide, umbrella-shaped trees that cast dappled shade. The leaves are oval, and the flowers look for all the world like a sweet pea. Any ideas greatly appreciated.
My first thoughts were - Robinia hispida but if they are 30+ feet tall then that is incorrect. It might be Robinia pseudoacacia 'Purple Robe.' Ron will know for sure what it is.
Probably the most common of pink locust trees here now is Purple Robe. Jacobson, TREES OF SEATTLE - SECOND EDITION (2006) mentions that the largest of some Purple Robe in Martin Luther King Jr. Park was 33 1/2' tall (probably measured 2005). See his account of Black locust hybrids pp. 222-3.
Thanks for this. The trees are actually the exact ones he mentions - in the MLK park, which is close by my house. Fabulous.
Neat tree. I just spent a few minutes reading about them. One of my neighbors loves locusts and I will forward the name on. Frith, were there many visible thorns on the one you saw?
I'll try to remember to look on Monday when I walk by them - don't remember thorns, but the branches are pretty high up. The bark is beautiful though, and I haven't noticed any thorns on the trunks. They are really beautiful trees - maybe I'll post a picture too. Frith
MarkVIIIMarc - I didn't see any thorns anywhere on the trees, which are at Walker and Martin L. King Jr Way South, Seattle. Frith