Black Locust Tree

Robinia pseudoacacia

$69⁹⁹

Out of stock
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Delivery and Shipping

Shipping

To obtain a more accurate shipment time-frame, simply enter your zip code in the “Find Your Growing Zone” box to the right. Our plants are grown all over the country and lead time on items may be different because of this. Once your order is placed, you will also receive the specific shipment time-frame information as part of your order confirmation. Once an item ships, you will receive shipment notification and tracking numbers, so you can follow along while your plant travels to your doorstep. We use FedEx, UPS, or USPS at our discretion.

Due to winter weather we have put a hold on shipping to the areas shown below in grey. You can still order now and we will ship the plant to you during an appropriate time for your zone.

*If you have found your zone already, it will be highlighted in the table below.

Standard Shipping Rates

At Nature Hills we handle, package and ship the products you order with the utmost care to ensure healthy delivery. Shipping and handling charges are calculated based on the tables below. Please note that some items include an additional handling surcharge, these will be noted on the item's product page.

From	To	S&H
$0	$19.99	$24.99
$20	$49.99	$29.99
$50	$69.99	$34.99
$70	$99.99	$39.99
$100	$129.99	$44.99
$130	$149.99	$48.99
$150	$150+	Approx 28%

Click here to see our full rates

Understanding Plant Options

Nature Hills offers plants in two main formats:

Container Plants: Grown in pots with soil, sized by container volume and plant age
Bare Root Plants: Dormant plants without soil, sized by height measurements

Container Plant Sizes

Container sizes indicate plant age and growing capacity rather than liquid volume equivalents. Our containers follow industry-standard nursery "trade gallon" specifications, which differ from standard liquid gallon measurements.

Young Plants (6 months to 18 months old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
2" x 2" x 3"	0.18 - 0.21 dry quarts	0.20 - 0.23 dry liters
4" Container	0.31 - 0.87 dry quarts	0.35 - 0.96 dry liters
4.5" Container	0.65 dry quarts	0.72 dry liters
6" Container	1.4 dry quarts	1.59 dry liters
1 Quart	1 dry quart	1.1 dry liters
5.5" Container	1.89 dry quarts	2.08 dry liters

Established Plants (18 months to 2.5 years old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
2 Quart	2 dry quarts	2.2 dry liters
#1 Container	2.26 - 3.73 dry quarts	2.49 - 4.11 dry liters
5" x 5" x 12"	3.5 - 4.3 dry quarts	3.85 - 4.74 dry liters

Mature Plants (2-4 years old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
#2 Container	1.19 - 1.76 dry gallons	5.24 - 7.75 dry liters
#3 Container	2.15 - 2.76 dry gallons	8.14 - 12.16 dry liters

Large Plants (3-5 years old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
#5 Container	2.92 - 4.62 dry gallons	12.86 - 20.35 dry liters
#6 Container	5.25 - 6.01 dry gallons	23.12 - 26.42 dry liters
#7 Container	5.98 - 6.53 dry gallons	26.34 - 28.76 dry liters

Bare Root Plants

Bare root plants are sold by height from the root system to the top of the plant. Plants may exceed minimum height requirements.

Common Sizes:

Trees: 1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, 4 feet, 5 feet, 6 feet
Shrubs & Perennials: 1 foot, 18 inches, 2 feet

Important Notes

Container Volume Specifications

Trade Gallon Standard: Our containers follow industry-standard "trade gallon" specifications established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI Z60.1) for nursery stock
Volume Variations: Actual soil volume may vary due to plant root systems and growing medium settlement
Age Indicators: Container size primarily indicates plant age and maturity rather than liquid volume equivalents

Growing Conditions

Plant size can vary based on variety and growing conditions
Container size helps indicate plant maturity and establishment level
Larger containers generally mean more established root systems and faster landscape establishment

Seasonal Availability

Bare root plants are available seasonally when dormant
Container plants are available throughout the growing season
Specific varieties may have limited availability in certain sizes

Questions?

For questions about specific plant sizes or availability, please contact our plant experts who can help you choose the right size for your landscape needs.

Plant Highlights

Black Locust Tree highlights at a glance!

Specifications

Brand

Nature Hills' Choice
Botanical Name

Robinia pseudoacacia
Growing Zones

4-9
Mature Height

70 - 80 feet
Mature Spread

25 - 30 feet
Sun Exposure

Full Sun
Moisture

Widely Adaptable
Soil

Widely Adaptable
Growth Rate

Fast
Flower Color

White
Fall Color

Yellow
Pollinator Friendly

Yes
Fragrant

Yes
Pruning Time

After Flowering
Bloom Period

Early Spring

Growing Zones 4-9

Find Your Growing Zone!

Farmers, homesteaders, and entrepreneurs take note! This native hardwood tree has many valuable uses as a cash crop, as an edible ornamental (flower fritters!), honey, and gorgeous shade tree! The Black Locust Tree (Robinia pseudoacacia) features white fragrant spring flowers and a fast-growing open, airy canopy is a big bonus!

Native to the Appalachian Mountains of North America, this deciduous tree grows quickly in a wide range of climates, and soil types. As a legume family member, Locust Trees will fix nitrogen in the soil, which helps improve poor soils.

There aren't many trees as tough as this one! Black Locust is so hardy that it will not only tolerate difficult conditions but thrive in them. It's extremely adaptable to almost any soil type. It grows in either wet or dry soils. Try this tree for locations where other trees may have failed. It's tolerant of urban pollution and is drought and cold hardy.

Each spring, the Black Locust produces incredibly fragrant, long, hanging white flowers that look like Wisteria, and smell like heaven. They'll also attract honey bees and hummingbirds.

Handsome foliage quickly fills out to provide dappled shade for the summer months. You can grow warm-season turf right up to the trunk The matte green, wide, rounded leaflets on a pinnately compound leaf turn a pretty yellow in fall. Because each leaflet is small, fall clean-up is a snap!

Planting and Application:

The Black Locust has many applications in the landscape including as a fast-growing shade tree, border plantings, and erosion control. The tree's ability to satisfy these applications quickly makes it highly desirable.

It can also be grown as a cash crop!

Extremely hard wood is great for lumber and flooring planks. Rot-resistant, straight trunks make valuable poles. High-density wood is an ideal material for decks, outdoor furniture fence posts, and other projects that require weatherproof materials. This strength holds up in ice and heavy snow, storms and wind.

Black Locust logs make excellent firewood. They split easily, burn hot, and easily create an effective bed of coals. Grow a stand just for fuel, but be warned! You may go through several chains on your saw cutting these hard trees up. The results will be worth it.

And that's not all!

The delicious honey sourced from Black Locust is commonly referred to as Acacia Honey. It's very light in color and beautifully translucent. Delicate, fruity, floral fragrance and sweet taste add to the appeal. It's a great honey for children over the age of 1 because of the high fructose levels. They'll love that sweet, natural taste!

Why not set up a managed grove of Black Locusts to support beehives? People love buying local honey at Farmer's Markets and online. Use the Locust Tree honey in tea, sweetening food, skincare, and other holistic products.

For managed crops, consider rotating out the trees every 10 years. Coppice firewood trees to the ground.

Don't plant a grove near corrals, barns, or pastures frequented by cattle or horses. Do your research before you consider using Locusts as fodder or mast for deer hunting.

Beautiful Light Green Oval Leaflets
Grows Quickly & Low-Maintenance
Rot Resistant Hardwood & Open Airy Canopy
Fragrant White Spring Flowers - Fantastic Honey Tree
Erosion Control, Shade, Specimen & Flowering Ornamental

#ProPlantTips for Care:

Plant native Black Locust Trees in full sun and in well-drained soil of almost any kind. New trees need regular moisture, but once established, Locust trees are drought-tolerant and easy to grow. Prune if needed after flowering to shape young trees.

If used in a home landscape, it's best used as a shade tree with a lawn under it. Plan to mow regularly all around the tree. Regular mowing will help manage this vigorous tree. Otherwise, to help keep the trunk from getting gouged by weed-whackers and mower damage, add a 3-4 inch deep layer of arborist mulch extending out several feet from the trunk.

Nature Hills uses an online database called Plant Sentry™. We follow all federal, state, and local restrictions for sale if this tree is a concern in your area.

Full Sun Deciduous Trees
Highly Adaptable to Any Well-Drained Soil
Moderate to Low Moisture Needs Once Established
Prune After Flowering
Incredibly Hardy & Tough as Nails

The Black Locust Tree is a fast-growing, hardy tree with incredible ornamental features. Plant one today and begin enjoying its rare and unique features. Manage it carefully and enjoy the profits from this valuable native plant.

grows out of control.

Not only does it get bushy, it gets out of control.....Its reproduced across 20 acres already.

Dear 300 N.,

Thank you so much for sharing your experience with the Black Locust Tree. We sincerely appreciate your feedback and understand how quickly this tree can spread, sometimes beyond what’s expected or desired. Indeed, Black Locust trees are known for their vigorous growth and ability to reseed prolifically, which is a testament to their hardiness, but can be challenging to manage.

If you’d like to keep the tree’s growth more controlled, pruning regularly and removing young suckers as they appear can help limit its spread. Root barriers may also be considered if you wish to restrict underground root expansion in specific areas. Additionally, monitoring the 20-acre area might require periodic clearing to maintain the balance of your landscape.

We’re here to support you with more tips or resources on effective maintenance practices to manage this beautiful yet vigorous species. Please don’t hesitate to reach out anytime for guidance on pruning schedules or other conservation techniques.

Wishing you happy planting,
The Nature Hills Plant Experts

Robinia pseudoacacia

The black locust has a lovely upright form and fragrant flowers. It is a very fast grower, but here in Northern California, it is not brittle. The leaves are small and turn into humus very quickly. The only problem is that it sends up sprouts from the roots. These are easily removed.

Hello Maile,

Thank you so much for sharing your experience with the Black Locust tree! We’re delighted to hear that its upright form and fragrant flowers have added beauty to your Northern California garden. It’s great to know it’s thriving without brittleness in your climate, and your observation about the leaves turning into humus quickly is such a wonderful natural benefit.

You’re right about the root sprouting — this vigorous growth is common for Black Locust, but as you mentioned, those sprouts are relatively easy to manage with regular removal, helping to keep your garden tidy and maintain the tree’s health. If you’d like, periodically checking the area for new shoots or using mulch to suppress spare root growth can help minimize extra clearance over time.

If you ever need more tips on controlling prolific roots or enhancing your garden’s ecosystem with companion plantings around Black Locust, don’t hesitate to reach out. Your attentive care clearly makes a difference!

Rooting for your garden’s success,
Your Nature Hills Plant Care Team

My How You've Grown!

If you re looking for a type of fast growing tree, this could be your answer. What started out as just a small twig in the back yard is now, 5 years later, over 24 feet tall!I found that pruning the lower branches created a nice topiary style effect but one still needs to pay attention to this sometimes unwelcome guest as it can get a bit out of hand! Be careful of those obnoxious thorns though& they can really be a pain in the& let s just say they can really be pain! Good thick gloves can help eliminate the need for tweezers, a magnifying glass and a supply of band aids. Don t get me wrong, I ve never been sorry that I didn t yank the thing out when it first arrived. I just thought as long as we re sharing information, I shouldn t be selfish and keep this to myself!I ve noticed that it seems to do better in older type soils, in older neighborhoods or yards then in newer residential additions or projects! I suppose the newer and younger soil and lack of fertilizers, foods and other nutrients yet to be introduced has a lot to do with it& but all in good time I imagine. It does suck up the water around the base, so expect your grass or lawn to be a bit less full or dense under the tree.If you have any type of patio, sidewalks, blacktop or cement driveways or brick areas near by, these leaves are extremely slippery when they begin to fall and get wet! Get used to sweeping them out of danger s way!It s a great shade tree and I have a lot more birds in my yard then ever before! As I said above, I ve never been sorry that I didn t remove that little twig when it first arrived& I just wish I had known a bit more about it s behavior! It didn t come with any instructions& it was free, and I ve been known to be a cheap S.O.B. at times! But hey, a free, 24 foot shade tree in just five years& who can argue with that!And now, I ll shut up and let you get to your own gardening!

Hi Dobie,

Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful experience with your Black Locust tree! We’re thrilled to hear how well it has grown over the last five years — going from that small twig to over 24 feet tall is truly impressive. Your advice about pruning the lower branches to create a topiary effect and protecting yourself from those notorious thorns is incredibly helpful for other tree lovers reading your review!

Your insights regarding soil conditions and how the tree thrives better in older, nutrient-rich soils provide great perspective, especially for those planting in newer residential areas. It’s also really valuable to hear practical tips like sweeping up those slippery fallen leaves to keep patios and sidewalks safe. It sounds like you've become quite the expert—your garden friends, especially all those birds, are certainly lucky to have you watching over your yard.

If you ever need guidance on maintaining your Black Locust, including pruning season timing or encouraging birdhouse installation to further attract feathered visitors, feel free to reach out. We’d love to help you continue growing your backyard oasis!

Wishing you happy planting,
The Nature Hills Plant Experts

Love it

We had one at our first house and loved it. Fills with white flowers and a heavinly smell. I transplanted one also there and it grew like crazy. Now at my new place Im having trouble getting one to grow, go figure. We are on the line between zone 3-4 and it seems to suit it fine. I just planted one from here and hope it takes. Our yard needs more shade, and these trees are perfect for that.

Hi Mark,

Thank you so much for sharing your experience with the Black Locust Tree! It's wonderful to hear how much you love the fragrant white flowers and how well it grew in your previous yard. It sounds like you have a great appreciation for this tree’s beauty and benefits, especially when it comes to providing shade.

Being on the boundary between zones 3 and 4 can indeed be a bit challenging, as temperature fluctuations might affect young transplants. To help your new Black Locust settle in, make sure it's planted in well-drained soil and receives ample sunlight, as it thrives in full sun. Also, mulching around the base can conserve moisture and protect roots during colder nights. Since the tree can be sensitive to late frosts, monitor the weather to provide some protection if needed.

If you haven't already, consider watering deeply during its first growing season to encourage a strong root system. And since Black Locusts can be somewhat nitrogen-fixing, they often improve soil over time, but good initial care is definitely key.

We hope your new Black Locust takes well and soon adds soothing shade—and that heavenly scent—to your new yard!

Wishing you happy planting,
The Nature Hills Plant Experts

Great tree

I've had mixed luck with the trees on this site but this is definitely one of the winners.I like to wait to see how a tree does before posting a review and have had my black locust trees for a few months now.They sprouted very quickly and are growing quickly in difficult conditions. It is a best bet for a difficult location. Also they are very profligate so I expect them to spawn more trees by next spring.

Hello Antoine,

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughtful feedback about your Black Locust trees! We're thrilled to hear that they’ve proven to be true victors in your garden, especially in challenging conditions. It’s wonderful that they sprouted quickly and are thriving—to us, that’s exactly the kind of success story we love to see.

Black Locusts are indeed resilient and known for their ability to adapt to tougher spots and still flourish. If you’re expecting them to propagate come spring, just keep an eye on young shoots spreading and help them along by carefully transplanting seedlings where you want additional trees to take root.

If you ever have any questions about managing growth or want tips on nurturing tough conditions even better, we’re always here to help!

Rooting for your garden’s success,
Your Nature Hills Plant Care Team

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Black Locust Tree

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