Black Locust Trees For Landscaping Tips On Growing Black Locust Trees

How fast does black locust tree grow?

In its native range, black locust grows rapidly following disturbances such as logging or mining. In regenerating hardwood forests in North Carolina, black locust seedlings grew 26 feet (8 m) in 3 years. They grew faster than any other species for 10 to 20 years [24].

Are black locust trees worth money?

Black Locust wood contains natural organic compounds that resist rot for 100 years or more, which makes these trees an extremely valuable and environmentally friendly tree. It is the perfect wood for fence and deck posts.

Are black locust trees invasive?

Black locusts have invasive traits that enable them to spread aggressively. ... Black locust produces hanging clusters of very fragrant white flowers in spring. This fast-growing native tree can form colonies and has brittle wood.

How do you take care of a black locust tree?

Plant black locust trees in a location with full sun or light shade. It prefers loose soil that is moist but well-drained, although it adapts to most soil types. Water the tree often enough to keep the soil moist during its first growing season.

How long does black locust need to season?

Seasoning Black Locust

In general, firewood will take at least 6-8 months to fully dry, and for denser hardwoods this process can take even longer. You should expect it to take 1 year or more to season Black Locust firewood.

How can you tell a black locust from a honey locust?

Usually honey locust will have VERY pronounced thorns, usually extending from the trunk, not the branches. The thorns are MUCH longer than those of black locust. Also, the bark is generally a bit smoother on honey locust if the tree is small, then cracking a bit like hickory as it gets larger.

Is black locust hard to cut?

Cutting green Black Locust with LPX chain NOT going so well. Black locust is hard but it's no harder than EAB killed ash and certainly not as hard as shag bark hickory .

What is black locust good for?

In Hungary, Black Locust is the basis of commercial honey production. The high-density wood is the most rot resistant wood we can grow in our climate, making it an ideal material for fenceposts, hope poles, outdoor furniture, decks, and other projects that require weatherproof materials.

Is black locust good for firewood?

One lesser-known tree that makes great firewood is black locust. ... Not surprisingly, the same density and durability that makes black locust good for fence posts also makes it among the best firewood trees.

How do you stop a locust tree from spreading?

One method of honey locust control and black locust control is to cut back the trees every growing season. Cut both new stems and new growth—you likely will need to repeat this step several times over the years. Spreading hay over the area could help prevent new trees from sprouting.

Is black locust poisonous to humans?

Background: The Black Locust (Robinia Pseudoacacia) tree contain toxalbumins, robin and phasin, that exert their toxic effects by inhibition of protein synthesis. Despite the potential dangers of Black Locust intoxication, reports of human toxicity after ingestion are rare.

Do all black locust trees flower?

As a deciduous tree, the black locust sheds all of its leaves in the winter. In spring starting in May, black locust flowers are white. In autumn, the white flowers turn a rich yellow.

How do you prune a black locust tree?

No specific pruning is required, but it is important to remove dead or weak branches whenever you notice them.

Eliminating dead and diseased branches must be performed regularly.
In fall, prune branches that cross over each other and in-growing branches.
Snip off suckers in fall, they are quite useless to the tree.

Is black locust harder than oak?

The fuel value of black locust is higher than any other American tree, exceeding even hickory and oak, being almost the equal, per cord at 20 percent moisture content, of a ton of anthracite coal. ... In this region, black locust was highly prized by the Cherokees and early settlers.

Is black locust poisonous to burn?

Black Locust Firewood - Toxicity

Despite the similarities with the pea family most parts of the plant, with the exception of the flowers, appear to be poisonous to both humans and animals when consumed.

Is honey locust good for firewood?

Honey Locust - Honey locust firewood is excellent for burning. It is a very dense hardwood that puts out a lot of heat and a very long burn. For firewood, it is comparable to black locust as far as heat output. It is a wood that can spark and pop so best to have a closed fireplace or wood stove when burning indoors.

Is black locust poisonous to dogs?

The entire black locust tree, especially the bark and shoots, is toxic to cats and dogs. If consumed, it can cause kidney failure, weakness, nausea, depression and death.

What is the lifespan of a locust tree?

The honey locust, Gleditsia triacanthos, can reach a height of 20–30 m (66–98 ft). They exhibit fast growth, but live a medium-long life span of about 120 years. The leaves are pinnately compound on older trees but bipinnately compound on vigorous young trees.

Is black locust edible?

Although the bark and leaves are toxic, various reports suggest that the seeds and the young pods of the black locust are edible. Shelled seeds are safe to harvest from summer through fall, and are edible both raw and/or boiled.

What is the strongest wood on earth?

Generally acknowledged as the hardest wood, lignum vitae (Guaiacum sanctum and Guaiacum officinale) measures in at 4,500 pounds-force (lbf) on the Janka scale.

What is the strongest wood in America?

Janka Rating System

The hardest commercially available hardwood is hickory, and it is five times harder than aspen, one of the “soft” hardwoods. And while this example lists just some of the most popular hardwood species, there are hundreds of varieties, representing the North American hardwood population.

Is a locust tree a hardwood?

The black locust tree is a hardwood but it's unique because it grows faster than most softwoods. Even though the tree grows extremely fast, it still produces tough, dense, heavy firewood.