Robinia Pseudoacacia, Black Locust - 0.5 kg Seeds

Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) is a fast-growing, nitrogen-fixing deciduous tree of the pea family, with feathery compound leaves, paired thorns and hanging clusters of fragrant white pea-flowers in late spring. Its timber is exceptionally hard and rot-resistant.

Introduced to India and grown mainly in the temperate Himalayan hills, it is used for fuelwood, fence posts, soil reclamation and erosion control on degraded slopes, and as an ornamental flowering and avenue tree; its nectar-rich blooms are prized by bees. Being a vigorous suckering species, it should be sited where its spread can be managed.

• Family: Fabaceae
• Native region: south-eastern United States
• Mature height: 12-25 m
• Growth rate: very fast

The hard, water-impermeable seed coat needs pre-treatment: pour near-boiling water over the seeds and let them steep as it cools for 12-24 hours, or scarify them, then sow the swollen seeds about 1 cm deep in seed trays. Germination follows in about 14-21 days; transplant the seedlings while young, as they form a deep taproot.