In this sense, black locust can often grow as a weed tree. Black Locust Tree. They are elegant, sun-loving trees that grow fast and prefer rich, moist soil. Though I’ve seen a living black locust tree with a rot problem, I’ve never seen a piece of cut locust rot. Many municipalities across the country short of cash are harvesting trees from city parks to manage their budgets. My neighbor has them growing across the front of his acre lot. Black walnut trees are, however, toxic to some species of plants if growing within a certain range of the tree. Habitat & Range . Similarly, a massive black locust harvested from a city park in Boston, fetched an impressive $30,000 and Boston is not alone. Black Locust. However, after seeing how black locust trees spread, and are very hard to completely remove if you don't want them there, I'm re-thinking the use of them in my orchard. Black locust Robinia pseudoacacia Black locust is native to the southern Appalachians and the Ozarks, where it occurs on slopes and forest edges. Black Locust is a deciduous tree with an upright spreading habit of growth. Also, black locust tends to seed itself a little too generously. I used to not appreciate this tree but, even though they're scrappy, they're quite useful. Black locust grows faster than many soft woods, yet, unlike most fast growing trees, black locust wood is really hard and durable. Tree profile (this is a younger tree). The trees have small, blue-green leaves with a compound, alternate form like honey locust trees. I have black locust trees that are already growing and established in my area. The most important thing is that the tree is able to get as much sunlight as possible throughout the day. African Black Ebony is the most valuable wood in the world. The walnut is a slow-growing tree that won’t produce nuts for 15 years or more. Black locust trees are more adaptable to different types of soil than honey locust trees are. Its dense thickets shade out native vegetation. Technically, both the black and honey locust are considered medium sized trees...typically topping out ~2' DBH. Germinating a black locust tree seed is similar to the process of germinating seeds of other trees. As the tree grows the juglone reach and juglone toxicity will extend. According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, locust trees are members of a genus containing around 10 members of flowering trees and shrubs that grow in North America.Black locust … Black locust is an extremely common invasive species here so I know it very well. In fact, like oak, black locust logs have good characteristics for mushroom cultivation; however, there is debate as to whether the toxicity of the tree ruins the mushroom, so this would require some caution. They have a diameter of between 0.60 to 1.2 meters ( 2- 4 feet). In the spring, the tree is covered with showy, fragrant blossoms that attract millions of bees. The national champs: black locust i~100" DBH Black Locust seed pods on the tree in late September. The black locust is native from Pennsylvania to northern Georgia and westward as far as Arkansas and Oklahoma, but has been widely spread in other areas of the world. Young trees are often spiny, but mature trees often lack spines. Try planting a locust tree in a place where nothing else has grown well, as it will still likely thrive. Black locust looks very similar to trees in the genus Acacia, which are also in the pea family (Fabaceae). Black Locust. Pith of a Black Locust twig. Some plants will grow near black walnut trees, however when planting black walnut trees in an existing garden keep in mind the concept of succession planting. At maturity black locust reaches 30 to 40 feet tall and about 20 feet wide, making it a lush and leafy living screen. We have a lot of Black Locust here. Place the plastic bag in a refrigerator until sprouts appear, then transplant the sprouts to a growing container. Trees and Shrubs Locusts: Range map for Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) PLEASE NOTE: A coloured Province or State means this species occurs somewhere in that Province/State. Adults can reach 40 - 90 feet in height. Black Locust trees usually grow to between 12 to 30 meters high, or 40 to 100 feet high. Figure 17.—Black locust trees grow rapidly and mature at earlier ages than most forest trees. Seedlings are easily identified by long pairs of thorns. Honey locust trees can grow larger than black locust trees at maturity. A large part of the trees that grow on Pittsburgh''s hillsides are Black Locust. They are typically dog-legged. Black locust is commonly used for fence posts, mine timbers, poles, railroad ties, insulator pins, ship timber, nails for wooden ship construction, pulp, boxes, crates, etc. It is a medium-size tree that has fragrant white flowers in clusters in the spring and feathery leaves in clusters in summer. Thorns grow in pairs where the leaf meets the branch. These are some of the most popular and common types of locust trees, in case you are looking to grow one in your lawn! Honey locust trees are a member of the legume family. Black locust trees grow 70 feet tall, although most trees range between 30 and 50 feet tall. Honey locust has pods that contain edible seeds, while the pods of other locust tree varieties are primarily for reproductive use. One of the most beloved wild edible mushrooms here is the “chicken of the woods” (Laetiporus sulphureus), which just so happens to like growing on black locust trees. The bark is smooth and brown when young becoming gray/black when mature. They are toxic to humans. It's hard to find a good straight black locust. The flowers grow in clusters that dangle from the tree and can measure anywhere between 4 and 10 inches in length. In fewer instances, shedding pollen can cause allergic reactions in horses and people as well as kidney effects in animals that ingest hulls. Read on to find out how to grow a locust tree. The honey locust has been used as a shade and street tree for many years, as it transplants well at large sizes and offers light shade without overwhelming turf grass. It tolerates a wide range of soil conditions, and spreads clonally as well as by seed. Old trees are commonly infected with the borer and some fungus diseases. Its wood is used for fence posts and rails. Its fast-growing nature makes it popular for mine reclamation, reforestation and erosion control, and it is still one of the most widely planted trees in North America. Black Locust tree trunk and bark. Black locust is commonly used for fence posts, mine timbers, poles, railroad ties, insulator pins, ship timber, nails for wooden ship construction, pulp, boxes, crates, etc. The two most common types of locust trees are black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), also called false acacia, and honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) and both types are North American natives. Black Locust (Robinia psuedoacacia) is a fast-growing hardwood tree with fragrant white flowers. This tall, fast-growing, and thorny member of the legume family can quickly form dense stands in prairies and along forest edges, displacing native vegetation and reducing the herbaceous understory. After the 2008 Financial Crisis many larger houses (with a fireplace and/or firewood-fueled furnace) were abandoned and demand for firewood fell off a cliff so the last couple of cutting seasons have been over 70% Black locust for me and I sometimes go and clear trees new owners find in their gardens so I … The tree is hardy through USDA growing zones 4 to 8. The coppiced wood that is harvested from alder trees makes for a great fuel source. Simply soak the seeds in water before germination, and place the seeds in moistened soil in a plastic bag. When interspaced throughout orchards, alder trees offer an abundant source of nitrogen to the system. Also known as “false acacia,” the black locust tree is a hard-wooded, fast-growing plant that is found throughout the United States. There is a pair of short, sharp thorns at the point where each leaf attaches to the twig. Ones that grow in competition, however, grow reasonably straight. Several species of alder can also be maintained as thick bushes to not shade out other crops. So, I had used those instead of honey locust. Keep it Cool. It also often spreads by underground shoots or suckers, which contributes to the weedy character of this species. A great tree for producing quick coverage, black locust is prized for its rapid growth. The black locust tree typically flowers heavily, and this is one of the things that makes the tree so popular as an ornamental tree. An abandoned orchard of fruitwood was sold for $300,000 Euros in France last year. One of the characteristic features of this tree is the short, prickly thorns that are located at the base of the leaves. This is a high maintenance tree that will require regular care and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. FYI: locust trees (black are native to east) are some of the first to grow back after disturbances - pioneer trees - they are also legumes which means they basically make beans are fix nitrogen into the soil enriching the soil for whatever trees come next. It has been planted in 48 states and was noted as spreading in jack pine barrens in Michigan as early as 1888. They grow up to 50 feet with a narrow canopy. Black locust is a fast-growing tree in the legume family. Its fast-growing nature makes it popular for mine reclamation, reforestation and erosion control, and it is still one of the most widely planted trees in North America. I've been here 14 years, they're maybe 10 inches in diameter, same as when I … While wild black locust trees can stretch up to 80 feet high, most specimens top out at 50 feet, whereas honey locust trees can reach up to 100 feet tall. 17). In the early summer black locust flowers; the flowers are large and appear in large, intensely fragrant clusters reminiscent of orange blossoms. A mature black locust tree produces numerous branches, and has a dark and deeply furrowed bark. That's why so many are made into fence post. Thse trees do not require much water, so you can place it in a a sandy or clay area, or even on a small rise. There is a widespread habit of allowing black locust trees to grow beyond their age of maturity, which is often 20 to 30 years. Scientific Name: Robinia pseudoacacia. But it’s brittle and has sharp thorns. Many varieties of locust grow in the U.S., with honey locust and black locust being most common. Alder: The alder species is a quickly growing, nitrogen-fixing tree that offers quality wood for fuel. Except for a few thornless honey locust varieties, locust trees have fierce thorns that grow in pairs along the trunk and lower branches. Such trees develop heart decay (fig. They don't grow fast. Black Locust trees have a narrow crown that tends to become bushy as the tree ages. The wood is heavy and holds a lot of fuel value, so it’s a good tree to have around if you need firewood. The seeds are small and flat and borne in 2-4 inch long pods, about 4-8 seeds per pod. How tall do locust trees grow? Certain specimens have grown up to 1.6 m or 5.2 feet in diameter and 52 m or 171 feet tall. The black locust is native to the Appalachian region and the Ozarks of North America. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage. The thorns of black locust trees are short, when compared to that of honey locusts. Plant a trio of these easy-to-grow trees where you would like to block a view, perhaps of a neighbor’s backyard or a nearby development. They do not have the branched thorns that are seen on the trunk of honey locust trees. Young thin branch of black locust tree. Native to the southern U.S., black locust has been planted extensively for its attractive and fragrant flowers, hard wood, and rapid growth. The leaves are alternate, pinnately compound with 7 - 21 oval leaflets.