Black locust leaves are high in protein, and the new growth of dense plantings such as this can be harvested for livestock feed with conventional hay-cutting equipment. The stipular thorns on new growth do not become sharp until the stem turns woody. Field plots for investigating forage production were sown in 1988. Planting densities from 40,000 to 1,000,000 per hectare, seed sources, cutting heights, and harvest times are under study. The first trees bloomed in 1987, in three years from seed.
Seed pods are visible on the tree in the center.
Black locust has been propagated by tissue culture from various plant organs of seedlings and young or mature trees.