Black Locust

🌿 Ships well rooted in a 3.5 x 9 inch deep tree pot. May arrive dormant and without leaves/foliage December through April.

The Black Locust is a rugged, fast-growing tree that offers a rare combination of beauty, utility, and soil-building power. Native to the Southeastern U.S., it features fragrant, white, pea-like blooms in late spring that feed pollinators, while its roots fix nitrogen, improving the soil around it.

Its incredibly rot-resistant wood is prized for fence posts, firewood, and natural building. Often used in permaculture, agroforestry, and homestead systems, Black Locust is a pioneer species that thrives in tough conditions.

Latin Name: Robinia pseudoacacia
Site & Soil: Tolerates poor, dry, or rocky soils; thrives in full sun; adaptable to a wide range of conditions
Pests & Diseases: Tough and resilient; may experience leaf miners or locust borers in some regions, but still thrives with minimal care
Size at Maturity: 40-60' tall
USDA Zone: 3-9

🌼 Uses:

Fixes nitrogen, enriching soil for surrounding plants
Fragrant, nectar-rich flowers attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators
Rot-resistant wood ideal for fence posts, firewood, and homestead construction
Grows rapidly—useful as a windbreak, pioneer species, or erosion control
Young pods and flowers are used traditionally in food and medicine (always research before consuming)

🛠 Growing Tips:
Grows quickly—great for establishing canopy or cover fast
May sucker from roots if cut back—can be managed or used to your advantage in regenerative systems
Handles pruning well; coppice or pollard for firewood or biomass production

💡 Fun Fact:
Black Locust wood is so rot-resistant it can outlast pressure-treated lumber—and it's native!