Black Locust, False Acacia, Robinia pseudoacacia, is easily grown from seed offered by the GreenDealer Exotic Seeds selection of Trees, Natural Insect Repellent Plants, and Fragrant Plants.

Black Locust is also know as False Acacia, Black Acacia, and Yellow Locust and is native to the eastern-central United States. It grows to 75 ft. tall, and can span 40 ft. or more in width.

It can be grown in difficult locations and is a popular tree in urban areas. The specimen shown above is one of many Black Locusts lining the streets of Louisville, Kentucky. This tree can withstand much neglect, heat, drought and with the exception of locust borer and the locust leaf miner is a very pest-free and disease resistant tree. The brittle twigs and limbs have sharp thorns. Fragrant white flowers appear in spring and grow in dangling clusters which attract bees. The flowers are followed by 4 inch long seed pods which make a rattling sound in the wind after they have dried. The leaves are delicate and feathery and are green to blue-green on older specimens, turning yellow in fall.

It sends out root suckers in ideal soil conditions which will eventually result in a grove of smaller trees surrounding one or more larger specimens. Propagation is easiest by seed but it is also possible to propagate by cuttings, suckers, root cuttings and division.

Hardy in climate zones 3 - 9.

© 1998 Michael King