Black locust, Robinia pseudoacacia, is one of the most successful species in our modern landscape. Increased disturbance - forest clearing, farming, surface mining - favors this amazing tree. It seeds rapidly into disturbed sites and reproduces both from seeds and root sprouts.

Many people, especially farmers, have poor relationships with this tree. I myself spent many hours as a kid cutting black locust on the meadows of our family land in North Carolina. I think I still have a locust thorn in my skull from those adventures.

The aggressive colonization of disturbed land is important in reforestation by nature. I have explored many thriving forests in Appalachia where dead black locust stems are still standing. They are the pioneers in natural forest regeneration.

Black locust makes the most marvelous, pale honey which carries the rich scent of locust. Black loust flowering occurs at the same time as several clover species, and the honeys are often mixed. I work hard, as do many beekeepers to keep the locust-gathering bees separate from the clover foragers. When it works, the reward is what I think is the very best honey.

Let’s celebrate this marvelous tree which gets along well with us.

Photos by Tom Kimmerer