Flower profile
New Mexico locust
Robinia neomexicana
New Mexico locust is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In New Mexico it's most often seen in bloom in May–July.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: New Mexico
Quick look
Robinia neomexicana, the New Mexican, New Mexico, Southwest, desert, pink, or rose locust, is a shrub or small tree in the subfamily Faboideae of the family Fabaceae.
- It belongs to the Fabaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub / a tree with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 8 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to New Mexico. NatureServe
- In New Mexico, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–July. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as purple. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as late spring. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 25 ft. USDA PLANTS
- iNaturalist has 1,013 research-grade sightings of it in New Mexico, ranking #47 among the 109 flowers on our New Mexico list. iNaturalist
New Mexico locust gift ideas
Handmade new mexico locust gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
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New Mexico locust art print
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New Mexico locust greeting card
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New Mexico locust mug
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New Mexico locust earrings
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New Mexico locust embroidery pattern
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New Mexico locust sticker
When does it bloom?
In New Mexico, most flowering sightings come in May–July.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G4 Apparently secure worldwide. NatureServe
- New Mexico
- Not listed Not on New Mexico state endangered plant species (19.21.2.9 NMAC). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in New Mexico. 19.21.2.9 NMAC
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: CA (S1), NV (S2), TX (S1), UT (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
USDA PLANTS rates its toxicity as “moderate.” (USDA's rating covers people and livestock and doesn't say which parts.) NC State Extension has no page for it. USDA PLANTS
ASPCA's entry “Locust” (Robinia spp), which covers the whole genus, lists it as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Signs include: Vomiting, depression, anorexia, weakness, difficulty breathing, diarrhea (bloody)… ASPCA
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records New Mexico locust in 8 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, Wyoming.
New Mexico counties with USDA records: Bernalillo, Catron, Colfax, Dona Ana, Eddy, Grant, Hidalgo, Lincoln, Los Alamos, Luna, McKinley, Mora, Otero, Rio Arriba, San Juan, San Miguel, Sandoval, Santa Fe, Sierra, Socorro, Taos, Torrance, Union.
More New Mexico flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile RONE.
- iNaturalist, Robinia neomexicana: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Robinia neomexicana (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- New Mexico: New Mexico state endangered plant species (19.21.2.9 NMAC).
- New Mexico: New Mexico Noxious Weed List (NM Department of Agriculture, updated June 2020).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Robinia neomexicana (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: USDA PLANTS; ASPCA.
- Photo: Matt Lavin via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.