black locust |
Plants: Hardwood Trees |
|
Magnoliopsida > Fabales > Fabaceae (Leguminosae) > Robinia pseudoacacia L.
|
| Synonym(s): false acacia, yellow locust |
| Black locust is a deciduous tree that, while native to parts of the United States, has spread to and become invasive in other parts of the country. Trees grow from 40-100 ft. (12-30 m) in height. Trees grow upright in forests, but develop an open growth form in more open areas. Leaves are pinnately compound with 7-21 small, round leaflets per leaf. Leaflets are 1.5 in. (4 cm) long. A pair of long, stipular spines is found at the base of most leaves. Flowering occurs in the spring, when flowers develop in 8 in. (20.3 cm) long clusters. The showy, fragrant, white to yellow flowers give way to a smooth, thin seed pod that is 2 to 4 in. (5.1-10.2 cm) in length. The bark of black locust is light brown, rough, and becomes very furrowed with age. Black locust is native to the Southern Appalachians, the Ozarks, and other portions of the Midsouth, but is considered an invasive species in the prairie and savanna regions of the Midwest where it can dominate and shade those open habitats. |
| Image |
Descriptor |
Description |
Photographer |
| 0008026 |
Bark |
|
Paul Wray |
| 0008027 |
Bark |
|
Paul Wray |
| 1480438 |
Bark |
Robinia pseudoacacia; black locust |
Richard Webb |
| 5274038 |
Bark |
|
Leslie J. Mehrhoff |
| 5392522 |
Bark |
Tree bark |
John M. Randall |
| 5308077 |
Diagram or Graphic |
Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. Illustrated flora of the northern states and Canada. Vol. 2: 375. |
USDA PLANTS Database |
| 5308078 |
Diagram or Graphic |
|
USDA PLANTS Database |
| 5308079 |
Diagram or Graphic |
|
USDA PLANTS Database |
| 1379058 |
Diagram or Graphic |
1. Branchlet with flowering and leafy shoots. Pea-flower shaped (»papilionaceous«) flowers open in pendulous terminal racemes. Odd-pinnate compound leaves with short petioluled leaflets. - 2. Shoot with ripe pods (f) and pendulous leaflets (B) during night. Fruits are many-seeded flat pods. - 3. Ripe seed as seen from two aspects. - 4. Seedling with cotyledons (c) and first ordinary leaves. - 5. Winter-branchlet - terminal bud is missing. Buds are small, naked, hidden inside the leaf scars and typically located between two modified spiny stipules. After Hempel & Wilhelm, 1889. Photos and explanations from the book: Zelimir Borzan. "Tree and Shrub Names in Latin, Croatian, English, and German, with synonyms", University of Zagreb, 2001. |
Zelimir Borzan |
| 1330009 |
Feature(s) |
Martin County, KY |
Chris Evans |
| 1219220 |
Feature(s) |
stipule |
Bill Cook |
| 1219221 |
Feature(s) |
stipule (thorn) |
Bill Cook |
| 5274040 |
Feature(s) |
Stipular Spines |
Leslie J. Mehrhoff |
| 5274042 |
Feature(s) |
Clonal Growth |
Leslie J. Mehrhoff |
| 1557134 |
Feature(s) |
thorn at the base of leaf |
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 1557136 |
Feature(s) |
thorns at the base of leaves. |
John Cardina |
| 5341037 |
Feature(s) |
thorns |
Jan Samanek |
| 5389167 |
Flower(s) |
Black locust flowering |
Norbert Frank |
| 5390011 |
Flower(s) |
|
Tom DeGomez |
| 5395880 |
Flower(s) |
foliage |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5395883 |
Flower(s) |
|
Robert Vidéki |
| 5392519 |
Flower(s) |
Flowers |
John M. Randall |
| 5392520 |
Flower(s) |
More flowers |
John M. Randall |
| 5392521 |
Flower(s) |
Flowering branch |
John M. Randall |
| 5398758 |
Flower(s) |
|
Robert Vidéki |
| 2139001 |
Flower(s) |
An invasive plant in Poland |
Barbara Tokarska-Guzik |
| 5243081 |
Flower(s) |
|
Richard Old |
| 5274039 |
Flower(s) |
|
Leslie J. Mehrhoff |
| 5274037 |
Flower(s) |
|
Leslie J. Mehrhoff |
| 5274043 |
Flower(s) |
|
Leslie J. Mehrhoff |
| 5341029 |
Flower(s) |
|
Jan Samanek |
| 5341030 |
Flower(s) |
|
Jan Samanek |
| 5341031 |
Flower(s) |
|
Jan Samanek |
| 5341033 |
Flower(s) |
|
Jan Samanek |
| 5341034 |
Flower(s) |
|
Jan Samanek |
| 5341035 |
Flower(s) |
|
Jan Samanek |
| 1219224 |
Flower(s) |
|
Bill Cook |
| 1261014 |
Flower(s) |
Common ornamental in Poland |
Gil Wojciech |
| 1116118 |
Flower(s) |
|
Charles T. Bryson |
| 1261126 |
Flower(s) |
Poland |
Gil Wojciech |
| 1480439 |
Flower(s) |
Robinia pseudoacacia; black locust |
Richard Webb |
| 1480436 |
Flower(s) |
Robinia pseudoacacia; black locust |
Richard Webb |
| 1261196 |
Flower(s) |
Poland |
Gil Wojciech |
| 1261223 |
Flower(s) |
Poland |
Gil Wojciech |
| 0008096 |
Flower(s) |
variety "purple robe" |
Paul Wray |
| 0008097 |
Flower(s) |
|
Paul Wray |
| 0008098 |
Flower(s) |
|
Paul Wray |
| 1203074 |
Flower(s) |
|
Carl Dennis |
| 1203075 |
Flower(s) |
|
Carl Dennis |
| 1219216 |
Flower(s) |
|
Bill Cook |
| 0008365 |
Foliage |
|
Paul Wray |
| 0008366 |
Foliage |
|
Paul Wray |
| 0016203 |
Foliage |
|
James H. Miller |
| 0016204 |
Foliage |
|
James H. Miller |
| 1261182 |
Foliage |
Poland |
Gil Wojciech |
| 5341036 |
Foliage |
|
Jan Samanek |
| 1557135 |
Foliage |
|
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 5403197 |
Foliage |
fruit |
Karan A. Rawlins |
| 5395957 |
Foliage |
flower |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5396593 |
Foliage |
|
Robert Vidéki |
| 5396594 |
Foliage |
|
Robert Vidéki |
| 5390008 |
Foliage |
Fall foliage |
Tom DeGomez |
| 5390009 |
Foliage |
Foliage and bark |
Tom DeGomez |
| 5341027 |
Foliage |
new expanding foliage |
Jan Samanek |
| 5349084 |
Foliage |
|
Keith Kanoti |
| 5341028 |
Fruit(s) |
fruits remaining in spring from previous year |
Jan Samanek |
| 5341038 |
Fruit(s) |
|
Jan Samanek |
| 5341039 |
Fruit(s) |
|
Jan Samanek |
| 5349083 |
Fruit(s) |
|
Keith Kanoti |
| 5390012 |
Fruit(s) |
|
Tom DeGomez |
| 5392526 |
Fruit(s) |
Dried pods |
John M. Randall |
| 5392527 |
Fruit(s) |
Dried pods |
John M. Randall |
| 5392523 |
Fruit(s) |
Fruit |
John M. Randall |
| 5403198 |
Fruit(s) |
foliage |
Karan A. Rawlins |
| 5243080 |
Fruit(s) |
fruit and seeds |
Richard Old |
| 1557137 |
Fruit(s) |
|
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 1557139 |
Fruit(s) |
with seeds exposed. |
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 1557140 |
Fruit(s) |
|
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 1557142 |
Fruit(s) |
with seeds exposed |
Ken Chamberlain |
| 5274041 |
Fruit(s) |
|
Leslie J. Mehrhoff |
| 1219218 |
Fruit(s) |
|
Bill Cook |
| 0008219 |
Fruit(s) |
|
Paul Wray |
| 0008220 |
Fruit(s) |
|
Paul Wray |
| 0008221 |
Fruit(s) |
fruit and seeds |
Paul Wray |
| 1261079 |
Sapling(s) |
Yound sapling growing within a 50 year old pine stand. Poland |
Gil Wojciech |
| 2188042 |
Sapling(s) |
|
Chris Evans |
| 2188043 |
Sapling(s) |
|
Chris Evans |
| 2188044 |
Sapling(s) |
|
Chris Evans |
| 5308080 |
Seed(s) |
|
Steve Hurst |
| 1557133 |
Seed(s) |
|
Ken Chamberlain |
| 1219219 |
Seed(s) |
|
Bill Cook |
| 1118076 |
Seedling(s) |
|
Brian Lockhart |
| 5389103 |
Stand |
Black locust in good quality |
Norbert Frank |
| 5392517 |
Tree(s) |
Small trees |
John M. Randall |
| 5392518 |
Tree(s) |
|
John M. Randall |
| 5390010 |
Tree(s) |
|
Tom DeGomez |
| 5398824 |
Tree(s) |
habitat
|
Robert Vidéki |
| 5398825 |
Tree(s) |
habitat
|
Robert Vidéki |
| 5399708 |
Tree(s) |
Bromus sterilis in understory |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5399729 |
Tree(s) |
Bromus sterilis in understory |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5399730 |
Tree(s) |
Bromus sterilis in understory |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5399731 |
Tree(s) |
Bromus sterilis in understory |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5399850 |
Tree(s) |
in plantation |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5399851 |
Tree(s) |
in plantation |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5392524 |
Tree(s) |
Young tree |
John M. Randall |
| 5392525 |
Tree(s) |
Lone tree |
John M. Randall |
| 5395892 |
Tree(s) |
habitat |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5395922 |
Tree(s) |
habitat; flower |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5395923 |
Tree(s) |
habitat; flower |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5395924 |
Tree(s) |
habitat; flower |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5395925 |
Tree(s) |
habitat; flower |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5397703 |
Tree(s) |
habitat; plantation |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5398538 |
Tree(s) |
habitat |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5398539 |
Tree(s) |
habitat |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5396113 |
Tree(s) |
habitat |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5396474 |
Tree(s) |
habitat |
Robert Vidéki |
| 1480440 |
Tree(s) |
Robinia pseudoacacia; black locust |
Richard Webb |
| 1480437 |
Tree(s) |
Robinia pseudoacacia; black locust |
Richard Webb |
| 5341032 |
Tree(s) |
in flower |
Jan Samanek |
| 2188045 |
Tree(s) |
|
Chris Evans |
| 2188046 |
Tree(s) |
|
Chris Evans |
| 2138099 |
Tree(s) |
An invasive plant in Poland |
Barbara Tokarska-Guzik |
| 2138100 |
Tree(s) |
An invasive plant in Poland |
Barbara Tokarska-Guzik |
| 5243082 |
Tree(s) |
|
Richard Old |
| 5274036 |
Tree(s) |
|
Leslie J. Mehrhoff |
| 0008513 |
Twig(s)/Shoot(s) |
|
Paul Wray |
| 5397702 |
Twig(s)/Shoot(s) |
stick |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5395668 |
Twig(s)/Shoot(s) |
twig; bud |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5395669 |
Twig(s)/Shoot(s) |
thorn; bud |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5395670 |
Twig(s)/Shoot(s) |
thorn; bud |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5395671 |
Twig(s)/Shoot(s) |
thorn; bud |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5395672 |
Twig(s)/Shoot(s) |
thorn; bud |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5395673 |
Twig(s)/Shoot(s) |
thorns; bud |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5395674 |
Twig(s)/Shoot(s) |
thorn; bud |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5395675 |
Twig(s)/Shoot(s) |
thorn; bud |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5395676 |
Twig(s)/Shoot(s) |
thorn; bud |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5395677 |
Twig(s)/Shoot(s) |
twig; bud |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5395678 |
Twig(s)/Shoot(s) |
twig; bud |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5395679 |
Twig(s)/Shoot(s) |
thorn; bud |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5395680 |
Twig(s)/Shoot(s) |
thorn; bud |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5395681 |
Twig(s)/Shoot(s) |
thorn; bud |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5395682 |
Twig(s)/Shoot(s) |
twig; bud |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5395683 |
Twig(s)/Shoot(s) |
twig; bud |
Robert Vidéki |
| 5395684 |
Twig(s)/Shoot(s) |
twig; bud |
Robert Vidéki |