Black Locust ( Robinia pseudoacacia ) is a deciduous tree that is aboriginal to several southeastern and a few midwestern states . It is known for its fast growth and can extend to heights of 40 to 100 foot . While it may ab initio seem like an attractive tree for landscaping , it is of import to reckon its invasive nature before planting it .
One of the key characteristics of Black Locust is its bark . When immature , the barque is smooth and dark-green , but as the tree ages , it becomes deeply furrow and sullen brown . This can impart an interesting grain to the tree , but it can also make it difficult to remove if it becomes unwanted or problematic .
Another famed feature of Black Locust is the bearing of big spines . These spine grow in pairs on the trunk and branches , particularly on suckering stems . These pricker can be sharp and can pose a risk when snip or handling the tree . They can also deter mass from getting too tight to the tree , which may be a retainer for those front to create a more inviting and accessible landscape .
In terminal figure of invasiveness , Black Locust is considered to be severely invasive in many areas . It has a tendency to spread rapidly and can outcompete native flora species . The tree is capable of bring forth legion suckering shoots , which can quickly take over an surface area and crowd out other vegetation . This can have negative encroachment on the local ecosystem , as aboriginal flora and wildlife may be dismiss .
Additionally , Black Locust has the ability to prepare nitrogen in the soil through a symbiotic human relationship with N - fixing bacterium . While this can be good in certain situations , such as restoring N - eat soils , it can also leave in the tree overlook an area and inhibit the growth of other plants that are not adapt to high-pitched nitrogen levels .
Personal experience has taught me the grandness of considering the potential invasiveness of Black Locust . In my own garden , I made the misapprehension of found this tree without amply understanding its invasive nature . Over sentence , I noticed that it began to spread rapidly , send up numerous suckering shoots throughout the G . These shoots were difficult to curb and required invariant maintenance to prevent them from taking over other plants and areas .
To summarize , Black Locust is a metier to improbable deciduous tree diagram that maturate cursorily and has an invasive nature . Its bark becomes deeply furrowed and dark brown with old age , and it is embellish with expectant spines on the trunk and branches . The tree diagram is capable of spreading rapidly through suckering shoot and can outcompete aboriginal plants . While it may have some aesthetic appeal , it is important to carefully consider the potential consequences before set Black Locust in your landscape painting .
Caroline Bates
