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The Beautiful Tree You Might Want To Avoid Planting In Your Yard
By AMIRA GUNDEL
The Black Locust is a beautiful tree that emerges in the spring with a striking display of white, fragrant flowers. However, the tree also brings with it several problems.
While the Black Locust's flowers are edible, the rest of the tree is toxic for humans, including the leaves. Moreover, the branches are covered in thorns occurring at each node.
The tree is native to North America but invasive outside its historic native range. It's a hardy and competitive plant that spreads by root suckers, rhizomes, and seeds.
Consequently, it can quickly take over an area if not managed properly. The tree also proliferates quickly, allowing it to form dense clusters that out-compete native vegetation.
It poses threats to various native habitats due to its preference for dry, well-draining soil and its aggressive suckering growth habit that chokes out other native vegetation.