Black Locust

The Black Locust tree, Robinia pseudoacacia, is sometimes called the yellow locust. Black Locust trees grow naturally on a wide range of sites but does best on rich moist limestone soils. It has escaped cultivation and become naturalized throughout eastern North America and parts of the West. Black locust is not a commercial timber species but is useful for many other purposes.This deciduous tree is a nitrogen fixer and has rapid juvenile growth. It is widely planted as an ornamental, for shelterbelts, and for land reclamation. This fast growing Locust tree is suitable for fuel wood and pulp and provides cover for wildlife, browse for deer, and cavities for birds. It is a very thorny tree which can attain a height of 70-80 feet and can have a diameter of 2-3 feet. The flowers are white, fragrant, and hang in clusters. The individual leaves are small and egg-shaped.