Black Locust Tree Details
Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) is a fast-growing deciduous tree native to the Appalachian and Ozark regions of the eastern United States. In late spring it hangs with clusters of fragrant white flowers, and it is one of the toughest native trees you can plant.
- Hardiness: USDA Zones 3–8
- Mature size: typically 30–50 ft tall and 20–35 ft wide
- Light: full sun
- Soil: any well-drained soil
- Sizes shipped: 1–2 ft, 2–3 ft, 3–4 ft and 4–5 ft
- Packs: single tree (buy one, get one free) or 25, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000
- Shipping: bare root, dug fresh from November 15 to April 15
Why Grow Black Locust?
It gives quick results. A young tree fills out within a few seasons into light, dappled shade, and its small leaflets let enough sun through for grass to grow underneath. Once its roots are down it handles heat, drought and city air, which is why it has long been planted along streets and in parks.
What Soil Does Black Locust Need?
Black locust is a legume. Bacteria in nodules on its roots fix nitrogen from the air, so it grows in worn-out, sandy or rocky ground without fertilizer and slowly enriches the soil around it. It copes with clay as long as water drains away. It thrives on well-drained sites.
How Does Black Locust Grow and Where to Plant It?
Young trees can add several feet a year, forming an upright trunk and an open, airy crown. Plant it as a shade tree on a large lot, in a windbreak or shelterbelt, or on reclaimed ground. Give it plenty of open space, such as a field edge, a large lot or a property line.
Where Does Black Locust Shine?
- Poor soil: it thrives on thin, dry or disturbed ground where it outperforms other trees.
- Erosion control: deep, spreading roots hold slopes, banks and cleared land.
- Bees: the spring flowers are a rich nectar source for honeybees and native bees.
- Fence posts: its heartwood is among the most rot-resistant of any native hardwood.
If you need a fast, tough tree for hard ground, black locust earns its place.
How to Plant Bare-Root Black Locust
Soak the roots in water for an hour. Dig a hole wide enough to spread the roots without bending them, and deep enough to set the tree at the soil line it grew at in the nursery. Backfill with the soil you dug out, firm it gently, and water well to settle the roots.
How to Care for Black Locust
Water weekly through the first growing season when rain is short. After that, it takes care of itself, with water needed only in long droughts. Prune in late winter to shape the tree and remove crossing branches.
Why Buy Black Locust From TN Nursery?
Black locust is one of the native trees we grow in the largest numbers, more than 200,000 at our Tennessee nursery. Our trees are sized in feet for a head start in a yard, field edge or windbreak. For large plantings on a budget, our bulk Black Locust seedlings come smaller, at 6–12 and 12–18 inches, in packs of 50 to 1,000. Pick the size that fits your site and shop now.
Black locust is one of the native trees our family has grown since 1959, for customers ranging from backyard gardeners to Arlington National Cemetery.
