New Mexico locust is a deciduous shrub that grows 10 to 15 feet tall and wide, with an upright, rounded vase shape. Its leaves are pinnately compounded, dark green, turning yellow in the fall. Pale to rosy pink flowers appear in long clusters in early summer, followed by pea-like pods. Bark is brown, with reddish-brown thorns. Its suckering habit makes it well suited for large, naturally-styled landscapes and hillsides.
Grow in well drained soil in full sun. In the legume family, it is tolerant of poor soils, fixing nitrogen and improving soil fertility. Adapts to clay or rocky soils. It has a suckering habit, so is effective in controling erosion.