Plant Family: Fabaceae
Growth Form: Medium-sized tree with an open crown.
Leaves: Alternate, compound, 20 – 30 cm long, with up to 23 oval leaflets with untoothed margins; sharp paired spines are found in the leaf axils.
Bark: Brown or gray, becoming darker with age, prominently ridged.
Flowers: Creamy white with yellow highlights, pea-like, very fragrant, in showy hanging clusters, appearing May to June.
Fruits: Long, flat green pods that ripen to brown and hold up to 8 round brown seeds, August into winter.
Habitat: Yards, roadsides, old fields, woodland borders, wherever the seeds land; tolerant of a wide variety of soils; intolerant of shade.
Range: Black Locust is originally from the Midwest and southern Appalachian regions. It is now common throughout the United States and in temperate zone countries worldwide.
Similar Species: Honey Locust has narrower leaflets that are lightly toothed.
Comments: Black Locust is an attractive tree with a fast growth rate, and its prized wood is heavy and durable, which has contributed to its ornamental and commercial use. It readily spreads to the wild, however, where it may crowd out native species; it is listed as invasive in Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and several other states.
