Clammy Locust
Robinia viscosa
Last reviewed: October 2026
Clammy Locust is toxic to dogs and cats.
Listed as toxic by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) (last reviewed 2026-05-21). If your pet has been exposed, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 and your veterinarian's emergency line.
Pollinator Patch flags toxic plants so you can choose a pet-safe native alternative for your yard.
Native swaps for a yard with pets
Clammy Locust is listed as toxic to dogs by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. These natives fill a similar role in a planting and are not on the ASPCA toxic plant list for dogs or cats. Each plant's page carries its dated record.
Light
full sun
Water
low
Size
240"–360" H × 120"–240" W
Bloom
May, Jun, Jul
Native to
AL, GA, MD, NC and 3 more states
Pollinators
bees, butterflies
Before you buy
Your city may pay you to plant this
Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 459 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.
Find rebates in your areaPicture natives in your own yard
Upload a photo of your yard and Patch Vision shows a rendering of it planted with natives for your region, like Clammy Locust.
Browse plants for this ecoregion
Clammy locust is a medium-sized native tree that produces fragrant pink flower clusters in late spring through summer. This drought-tolerant tree grows 20-30 feet tall with an open, irregular canopy and compound leaves that provide filtered shade.
In an HOA neighborhood
Clammy Locust takes more care to keep looking intentional in a front yard. Maintenance level: moderate. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.
Works well in: backyard only.
- Irregular growth habit looks unkempt
- Tends to sucker and spread aggressively
- Can appear weedy due to thorny branches
Wildlife value
Host plant for silver-spotted skipper, long-tailed skipper.
The showy pink flowers attract bees and butterflies during the extended bloom period from May through July. As a member of the legume family, it also fixes nitrogen in the soil.
Common questions
- How much sun does Clammy Locust need?
- Clammy Locust grows best in full sun conditions.
- When does Clammy Locust bloom?
- Clammy Locust blooms in May, June, and July.
- Where is Clammy Locust native?
- Clammy Locust (Robinia viscosa) is native to AL, GA, MD, NC and 3 more states, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
- Is Clammy Locust toxic to dogs?
- Yes. Clammy Locust is listed as toxic to dogs by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (aspca.org). If your pet has been exposed, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
- Is Clammy Locust toxic to cats?
- Yes. Clammy Locust is listed as toxic to cats by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (aspca.org). If your cat has been exposed, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
- What butterflies or moths does Clammy Locust host?
- Clammy Locust is a larval host plant for silver-spotted skipper and long-tailed skipper.
- Is Clammy Locust HOA-friendly?
- Clammy Locust takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.
Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Pollinator Patch flags toxic plants like Clammy Locust and shows pet-safe natives for your ecoregion instead.