Robinia, perhaps the common ’Purple Robe’

Looks like bristly locust -- I got some. Pretty flowers, but otherwise not handsome plants. They sucker profusely..

https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=bristly+locust&atb=v252-1&ia=web

Yes, R hispida imo. You can see the bristles.

’Purple Robe’ is a hybrid of R. hispida and possibly R. ambigua and so can have both bristles and thorns present. I wouldn't dismiss this out of hand but it could also be the straight species.

I think it is the bristly locust. Not something to encourage. I am going to tell her to enjoy it in the woods. but not try to get it to grow near the house.

Here's mine from years ago. As you can see, very attractive wisteria-like flowers that bumblebees like. But the shrub itself has no other redeeming qualities except used as an erosion-controller on bare rock/soil.

She said the bush was ugly but maybe she could tame it for the spring flowers. Not enough in the plus category for me.

They seem to "reproduce" by suckers only. Lots of flowers on mine, but I've never seen a single seedpod anywhere on them in almost 20 yrs.