Do purple robe locust tree seeds grow into purple robe trees?

Question

I know that the root is actually a black locust tree with the purple robe grafted on so do the seeds revert back to black locust or stay with the purple pink flowers?

Answer 1

Since the purple robe is only grafted onto a rootstock of black locust, it's questionable that the seed will produce a purple robe. Best thing you can do is try it. They are apparently quite easy to grow from seed, and who knows...maybe you will come up with a new cultivar, and get to name and claim it! lol

"Black locust can be vegetatively propagated from shoot and root cuttings, but success rates vary among clones. Grafted or rooted shoot sections produce lateral growth, while sprouts from roots grow upright (Prentice 1987)." (http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceedings1990/v1-278.html) Since they are also easy to grow from shoot cuttings, I would go that route to ensure that you get a purple robe tree out of it. It may be, however, that the purple robe doesn't do well as it's own rootstock (for strength and/or disease resistance) so you may do well to take a root cutting of the black locust, and do your own grafting.

Best site I've seen for info on cuttings and grafting, any propagation, really, is:

Answer 2

Globe Locust Tree