The robinia is a popular deciduous tree in this country that enriches numerous gardens. The great thing about the plant is primarily its ease of care. By nature, the robinia has a very even growth and usually remains in the beautiful spherical shape. If you still want to help a little and turn the robinia into an eye-catcher in your garden with a graceful topiary, you will find everything you need to know here.
Robinia do not necessarily have to be cut
Is a pruning necessary?
The robinia is characterized by a round, spherical growth which happens very evenly. Protruding knots that significantly spoil the look are rather rare. With this special deciduous tree, pruning is not absolutely necessary. Nevertheless, you can of course cut back your robinia. You could do this for the following reasons:
- Prune the black locust to stunt growth
- external damage after storm damage
Exception for the spherical locust
True to its name, the spherical robinia impresses with its even, round shape. Usually, the subspecies also does without a radical cut. However, if you are very meticulous and pay attention to detail, a shape cut is recommended every now and then to maintain the spherical shape. This also applies to all other cultivated forms of robinia.
tips
In addition to numerous small robinia species, there is also the possibility of cultivating the deciduous tree as a bonsai. The crown needs to be thinned out every few years. Since bonsai cultivation usually takes place in a bucket, it is also advisable to shorten the roots. This is useful when repotting young specimens. Otherwise, this form of keeping hardly requires any work.
The right time
Pruning during the summer months could disrupt the growth of your locust. Wait until winter, when the deciduous tree will retire and stop growing. January and February are recommended months to remove unwanted branches.
precautions
You should always be careful when pruning the black locust for two reasons:
- the robinia is highly poisonous
- the robinia has sharp thorns
Therefore, always wear gardening gloves when cutting the branches and be careful not to tear your clothing on the thorns. To be on the safe side, wash your hands well after cutting back.