Why Plant Twisty Baby™ Black Locust?
Twisty Baby™ Dwarf Black Locust (a.k.a. Lace Lady Locust) is a fun tree that will be a conversation piece in your garden throughout the seasons. This one-of-a-kind specimen sports a wild hairdo of zigzag branches that will draw attention both in and out of leaf. Twisty Baby’s kinky branches are draped with lovely white flowers in spring that smell like grape Kool-Aid—and they’re edible! You can reach up and pluck a few blossoms to top off the prettiest salad you’ll ever have. Plant this tree near your porch, patio, or deck not only to enjoy the flowers’ sweet fragrance, but also to watch the hummingbirds that will swoop in to pollinate them!
Black Locust is a scrappy tree native to the Eastern U.S. It often grows on roadside cuts where no other tree would want to grow, somehow getting by on the most meager allotments of soil and water. Its wood is dense and naturally weather-treated, and many a farm has been enclosed by fences built with “Locust” posts. Twisty Baby™ was a chance mutation of the species discovered among a crop of seedlings in New Zealand in 1985. It is sometimes listed as ‘Lace Lady’—two names for the same plant.
How to use Twisty Baby™ Black Locust in the landscape?
The contorted habit of this dwarf Black Locust will have you in knots! Clusters of fragrant white pea-like blooms appear in spring. Mature foliage is deep bluish-green while newly emerging foliage is apple green - quite fetching! The black bark and brown branches on this twister are extremely showy in winter. A great specimen or focal point in any garden.
Planting Zones
Hardiness Zone: 4-8
How To Plant Twisty Baby™ Black Locust
Twisty Baby™ Dwarf Black Locust is about as unfussy as they come. Any sunny spot in the garden that doesn’t stay soggy is suitable. This tree doesn’t even need much fertilizer—it has the ability to take in, or “fix,” nitrogen directly from the air!
How To Water
Black Locust will appreciate watering deeply, and regularly during its first few years in the ground. Irrigate weekly, and especially during long dry spells or extreme heat after it’s established.
How To Fertilize
Incorporate Elements Starter Plant Food granular form into the soil when planting. If planting in spring or summer, start fertilizing late fall using Elements Starter Plant Food granular form on an annual basis each late fall. If planting in the fall, use Elements Fertilizer while planting and start your regular annual fertilizing the following fall. Continue this for the first three years to get your plant well established as it gives your tree the nutrients it needs to produce lush new growth for the following spring.
How To Prune
Remove any large straight spurts of growth that you see. Doing this will promote the natural spiral growth. Prune the tree annually in the late summer to shape the tree and encourage the contorted growth.
How Does Shipping Work?
Bower & Branch Trees, the real BIG trees, don’t fit in a box! Our big trees, sizes XL and bigger, require expert delivery and care, that means our extra-large trees are shipped on Bower & Branch trucks. We are the only ones who know how to ship our big and bigger trees and plants with tender loving care. We deliver your trees and plants directly to you. Ask Bower & Branch about planting services – we'd be happy to assist in installation.
*For Big trees and Shrubs, Size XL and bigger: Review our Seasonal Shipping Timelines and Policy here.
Your trees and plants are grown across the United States at various Bower & Branch Growers. Depending on your location, your plant orders may be shipped from various locations. Please expect orders with multiple items to be delivered over a number of days as a result. Orders made up of numerous items or selections will not arrive at your home on the same day.
Shipping Delays:
From time to time, Bower & Branch Growers may determine to delay order shipment based on various factors for plant health. Weather in your region, as well as, where your plants are grown, is always considered when shipping. Extreme weather conditions may delay some or all of your order. Bower & Branch allows our Growers to make final shipping decisions based solely to benefit your trees and plants’ health and success.
How Does Sizing Work?
The size of our trees have nothing to do with the container size like you may find elsewhere–big doesn't mean just height - it’s also vigor, age, and overall health. Other online retailers are going to tell you that a plant is a seven gallon, that means nothing to your tree or plant (or you.)
Our trees for sale online are graded on large, x-large, and even bigger sizes. This is because our trees are sized by their age—the higher the letter, the more mature the tree. The age determines the trees’ overall height, size of the trunk and the overall branch density.
All of these characteristics are what you should be looking for when choosing a tree for immediate impact and instant curb appeal. Our extra-large tree and plant sizes are sure to wow you and your neighbors!
See the size guides below.
