# Black Locust (*Robinia pseudoacacia*) The Black Locust tree has white flowers that smell sweet like perfume. Its bark is rough and dark, and it grows tall with strong wood that's good for building things. - **Category:** [Trees](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/tree) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 35 - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** False Acacia, Yellow Locust ![Black Locust](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Korina_2011-05-20_Robinia_pseudoacacia_3.jpg&width=800) Photo: Annabell Hormann / korina.info, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Korina_2011-05-20_Robinia_pseudoacacia_3.jpg) ## Appearance The Black Locust is a fast-growing tree with rough, deeply furrowed, dark gray-brown bark. It has thorny twigs and long, compound leaves with many small, oval leaflets. In late spring, it produces drooping clusters of fragrant, pea-like white flowers. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Fabales - **Family:** Fabaceae - **Genus:** Robinia ## Interesting facts - Believe it or not, this tree is actually related to garden peas and beans! - Black Locust flowers smell wonderfully sweet, attracting bees to make delicious honey! - Its wood is incredibly dense, making it North America's hardest and most durable! - This tree can sprout new trees from its roots, forming entire groves! ## Special abilities - **Soil Enricher:** Black Locust enriches poor soil; it has root bumps with bacteria that create nitrogen, a vital plant food! - **Thorny Protector:** Black Locust has sharp thorns on its branches, helping defend against animals trying to eat its leaves or bark. - **Pioneer Power:** Black Locust grows in disturbed areas, like old fields, because it easily sprouts from roots and spreads quickly. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 12-25 m - **Spread:** 6-12 m - **Edible:** No - **Size:** 30-90 cm - **Lifespan:** 50-100 years - **Fruit Type:** Legume pod - **Growth Rate:** Fast - **Leaf Type:** Deciduous ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar for honey - **Symbiotic with:** Rhizobium Bacteria (*Rhizobium leguminosarum*) — lives in root nodules, fixing nitrogen - **Depends on:** Locust Borer Beetle (*Megacyllene robiniae*) — larvae tunnel into its wood - **Eaten by:** [Black Locust Leafminer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-locust-leafminer) (*Phyllonorycter robiniella*) — larvae feed on its leaves ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Nitrogen Fixing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nitrogen-fixing): Describes organisms capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen into compounds usable by plants. - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Timber](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/timber): Timber refers to wood that has been prepared for use in building and carpentry. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) - [Trees](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/trees) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Enjoy looking at Black Locust trees from a safe distance and avoid climbing them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Black Locust? Compare leaves or needles, how they attach to the twig, buds, bark and the shape of the crown. Lobed leaves are useful clues, but several unrelated trees share a similar outline. Tree Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Black Locust? 12-25 m ### How wide does Black Locust spread? 6-12 m ### Is Black Locust edible? No ### How big is Black Locust? 30-90 cm ### How long does Black Locust live? 50-100 years ### Where is Black Locust usually found? Forests ### What kind of fruit does Black Locust produce? Legume pod ## Where to spot - [Abbott Farm Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/abbott-farm-historic-district) — New Jersey, US · Historic District - [Camp Evans](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/camp-evans) — New Jersey, US · Historic Site - [Capen-Clark Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/capen-clark-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District - [Carriage Paths, Bridges and Gatehouses](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/carriage-paths-bridges-and-gatehouses) — Maine, US · Historic District - [Chesterfield Gorge](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chesterfield-gorge) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve - [Circleville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/circleville-historic-district) — Ohio, US · Historic District [View all places to see Black Locust](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/black-locust) ## More Trees - [English Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/english-oak) (*Quercus robur*) - [Sessile Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sessile-oak) (*Quercus petraea*) - [Northern Red Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-red-oak) (*Quercus rubra*) - [White Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-oak) (*Quercus alba*) --- Source: [Black Locust: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-locust)