The Black Locust grows in its native range in open upland sites in two regions: the Appalachian Region from central Pennsylvania and southern Ohio down to northern Georgia & Alabama and the Ozark Region of southern Missouri, Arkansas, and east Oklahoma. However, mankind has spread it all around the South, the Midwest, the Mid-Atlantic, and the Northeast of the US. I think I saw some running around wild in southern Germany in 1981. It often is a weed tree, growing in abandoned lots, alleys, and waste places. It is fast growing of 2 to 3 feet/year and lives about 50 to 100 years. The fragrant white pea-like flowers are nice. The rest of the tree is not ornamental. It is weak-wooded and very messy by dropping lots of twigs, branches, and brown, woody, legume pods; and it can form a colony from prolific root suckering. I don't recommend it for landscaping and I don't know of any nurseries that sell any. It is considered as a non-native invasive plant in many states where it is not in its original native range. I don't mind some wild trees around, but not too many. It is good for reclaiming and stabilizing land where there were coal mines and it does fix nitrogen into the soil.

1 reply

Locust trees, including the black locust, make an excellent fence post and in the past were recommended for planting as an income source. The wood is fast growing, nitrogen fixing, and very naturally rot resistant. Reported to give 20-25 years as outdoor posts for burning. The wood has a high BTU and the spring blossoms smell great and are loved by bees.

Reply to this comment

I wish someone had warned me about planting this very thorny invasive tree. (Nursery where I bought it?)
So hard to get rid of. Roots so easily from the many seedpods Don't ever plant it.

Reply to this comment