Black Locust

LEAVES: Alternate, compound, 7-19 oval leaflets 1″-2″ long, margins smooth.

TWIGS: Angled, somewhat zigzag, brittle, with short stout prickles; no end bud, side buds small and hidden in winter.

FRUIT: A thin, flat pod, 2″-4″ long; usually with 4-8 seeds; splits into halves when ripe. Flowers white, showy, very fragrant in drooping clusters, appearing in May and June.

BARK: Reddish brown, rough, furrowed, thick.

GENERAL: A medium-sized tree to 45′ high, found in open woods, floodplains, thickets and fencerows throughout the State. Wood is durable in contact with the soil and in demand for posts, poles, railroad ties, and mine timbers. Unfortunately, several insects and wood rots cause heavy damage, especially to trees on poor soils. Squirrels eat the seeds and bees make honey from the nectar of locust flowers.