# Locust Trees (*Robinia*) Locust trees are tall and strong trees with beautiful green leaves and sweet-smelling flowers. They provide shade and are great for parks and gardens! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Urban areas ![Locust Trees](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Robina9146.JPG&width=800) Photo: Pollinator at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Robina9146.JPG) ## Appearance The Locust Trees has deeply furrowed, dark gray bark and distinctive pinnate leaves with many small leaflets. It produces fragrant, white to cream pea-like flowers in hanging clusters, followed by flat, dark brown seed pods. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Fabales - **Family:** Fabaceae - **Genus:** Robinia ## Interesting facts - Despite their name, locust trees are not related to locust insects at all! - Honey made from their flowers is famous for being light-colored and delicious. - The long, dark seed pods often stay on the tree through winter like rattles! - Their incredibly strong wood can last outdoors for over 100 years without rotting! ## Special abilities - **Nitrogen Power-Up:** Locust Trees can enrich the soil by turning air nitrogen into plant food with special root bacteria. - **Thorny Protector:** Locust Trees has sharp thorns on its branches that help protect its tender leaves from hungry munchers. - **Speedy Pioneer:** Locust Trees can grow incredibly fast even in poor soils, quickly reforesting damaged lands. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 1000-3000 cm - **Spread:** 500-1500 cm - **Flower Size:** 1.5-2.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** High - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar for honey - **Eats:** [White-tailed deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — browses on young leaves and shoots - **Symbiotic with:** Rhizobium bacteria (*Rhizobium leguminosarum*) — fixes nitrogen in root nodules ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Nitrogen Fixing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nitrogen-fixing): Describes organisms capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen into compounds usable by plants. - [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. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [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. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Stay away from the sharp thorns on the branches. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Locust Trees? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Locust Trees? 1000-3000 cm ### How wide does Locust Trees spread? 500-1500 cm ### How big are the flowers on Locust Trees? 1.5-2.5 cm ### When does Locust Trees bloom? Late spring to early summer ### Is Locust Trees edible? No ### Is Locust Trees toxic? High ### What is Locust Trees's lifecycle? Perennial ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Locust Trees: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/locust-trees)