Black locust has been extensively naturalized in the United States and Canada. The sapwood of black locust is a creamy white, while the heartwood varies from a greenish yellow to dark brown. The wood turns a reddish brown when exposed to the air. It has a high density and decay resistance. It shows slight shrinkage and stays in place well.
Black locust is very strong in bending and is one of the hardest woods in America.
It has no distinctive odor or taste. No information available at this time. The trees are used in strip mine reclamation because of their ability to survive the acid conditions and for their nitrogen-fixing roots.