Eve’s necklace may not be widely known among gardeners. But bees and other nectaring insects sure know it and love it. Formerly called Sophora affinis, now Styphnolobium affine, this small deciduous tree with lacy foliage occurs naturally in well-drained limestone (i.e., alkaline) soils in North and Central Texas, as well as in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana.
Cascading clusters of pink-and-ivory blossoms appear in late March or early April, attracting a contingent of bumblebees, honeybees, and the occasional wasp. By the time I took these photos in mid-April, the flowers were fading to a pinky beige reminiscent of Farrow & Ball’s Setting Plaster. Grandmacore, anyone?
My tree grows under live oaks and still flowers prolifically. However, its canopy is loose, almost rambling, in the shade. In full sun, Eve’s necklace fills out into a full, rounded canopy. Dave Creech, director of the SFA Gardens at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, recommends Eve’s necklace as a substitute for crape myrtle in the Deep South, where our beloved crapes are being decimated by newly introduced crape myrtle bark scale. He’s also developing a cultivar called ‘Amy’ with darker, more richly colored flowers.
Beneath the pendant blossoms, it’s fun to watch the eager pollinators. I stood here one day and watched a large bee zipping from flower to flower. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get a good photo, so you’ll just have to imagine it.
After the flowers fade, distinctive black seedpods form along the stems. These beaded strands give Eve’s necklace its common name. As with its cousin Texas mountain laurel, the seeds are poisonous, so no grazing.
Once established, Eve’s necklace needs no supplemental irrigation. It grows in sun or shade to a height of 15 to 30 feet and is hardy to Zone 7. It’s time to acknowledge Eve’s necklace is a tree worth knowing.
Note: My Plant This posts are written primarily for gardeners in Central Texas. The plants I recommend are ones I’ve grown myself and have direct experience with. Check online forums for your region or local independent nurseries to see if a particular plant might work in your area.
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