page_title: Robinia pseudoacacia
section_title: Ecology
hierarchical_section_title: Robinia pseudoacacia / Ecology
caption_attribution_description: English: Seeds of the Robinia pseudoacacia, harvested around May. They keep hanging on the tree over winter. Deutsch: Samen der Robinie (Robinia pseudoacacia) im Mai. Sie bleiben den ganzen Winter hindurch hängen.
context_page_description: Robinia pseudoacacia, commonly known in its native territory as black locust, is a medium-sized hardwood deciduous tree, belonging to the tribe Robinieae. It is endemic to a few small areas of the United States, but it has been widely planted and naturalized elsewhere in temperate North America, Europe, Southern Africa and Asia and is considered an invasive species in some areas. Another common name is false acacia, a literal translation of the specific name.
context_section_description: When growing in sandy areas this plant can enrich the soil by means of its nitrogen-fixing nodules, allowing other species to move in. On sandy soils black locust may also often replace other vegetation which cannot fix nitrogen.
  Black locust is a typical early successional plant, a pioneer species, and it grows best in bright sunlight and does not handle shade well. It specializes in colonizing disturbed areas and edges of woodlots before it is eventually replaced with more shade-tolerant species. It prefers dry to moist limestone soils but will grow on most soils as long as they are not wet or poorly drained.  This tree tolerates a soil pH range of 4.6 to 8.2. Within its native range it will often grow on soils of Inceptisols, Ultisols, and Alfisols groups. Black locust does not do well on compacted, clayey or eroded soils. Black locust is a part of the Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests.
  Black locust is not a particularly valuable plant for wildlife, but does provide valuable cover when planted on previously open areas. Its seeds are also eaten by bobwhite quail and other game birds and squirrels. Woodpeckers may also nest in the trunk since older trees are often infected by heart rot.
caption: Robinia pseudoacacia fruit with seeds
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