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Sharran, thanks for your article on the black locust. We have one in the back yard, near the woods and I wouldn't take anything for it. The bumblebees love the flowers and we love the shade. Lee
Sharran, what a lovely surprise, your responding to my comment. Owen, the friend with whom I live, wanted to cut it down a few years ago but I said no. He was born and reared on a farm and he had said that they used them for fence post, too. It was one of the trees he hated working with because of the thorns.
Where I was born and reared in MS, we had alot of Bois d'Arc, but we just called them 'Bow docks'. Now, they had thorns!
Again, how kind of you to take the time to respond and I look forward to more of your articles. Lee
The first time I saw a locust tree bloom, I was a kid or young teen. I was just astounded that a wild plant could bloom so spectacularly. In the same way, I was impressed with wild daylilies. They both had to be the glory of western PA.
Hi Kelli...I think wild plants are astounding wherever we find them. Unadulterated beauty.
I am sure you find that kind of beauty where you are now also, but old memories are hard to beat.
Hope you have this same glorious sunshine out your way today.
Sharon
We have many, many black locusts here in the eastern panhandle of WV. Last spring they were absolutely spectacular when they bloomed. I have never seen so many blossoms on them before.
A friend tells me that the honey resulting from bees visiting black locusts is very amazing in color and taste. I intend to get started with bee-keeping this spring, so maybe I will be able to experience that first-hand.
Also, many black locusts here die young and when they do they make great firewood.
Sharon,
Thanks for your article. I love plants and trees in particular - even though my thumb is not as green as I'd like it to be.
I have a question. A black locust seed wandered into my parent's backyard spring a year ago. We live in the Dallas area. It germinated in a pot I had sitting around and a little tree emerged in my "shade container garden" area of the yard (on the side of the house).
I noticed that it did not look like a regular weed so I dediced to leave it alone and see what it would become. By last winter, it was about 10-12 inches tall. I decided to put it with my other plants and wrapped them up against the winter. Since I love trees so much, my folks were a little suspicious that I had gotten it deliberately.
Not only did it survive the winter but, to my delight, it "took off" in the spring. I put it in a larger pot and decided to identify it.
After reading your article and how large the trees become... will it continue to grow in a container or is that cruel? I had thought it might grow to 10 or 20 feet. Not the height you mentioned in your article. My folks do not want any more trees in their yard - let alone a giant in the making. I on the other hand want to keep it and raise it - if it could happily remain in a pot (even a large one). But if it's only future is to die in the container because I cannot put it into the ground, should I get rid of it now? I don't know anyone in the area who would want the little tree (have not lived here very long)
Please advise the best thing to do. As I said, I love trees and killing one would make me very very unhappy.
Thanks,
Sue
Eva, I hadn't thought about the honey, but now I wonder if it can be found commercially. Will have to check on that, thanks for mentioning it, and thanks for writing.
OH, Sue...
What a dilemma! You are talking to someone who has a hard time pulling all those gazillion helicopter seedlings that sprout on every surface, gifts from my maples.
Well, the tree will grow in a container as long as the container keeps increasing in size. Not sure when it gets beyond the size of your container. I doubt if it will flower very much, perhaps a little while young, but I am no expert in potting large trees, so I can't give you much of an answer. I don't know how well it would take to becoming "bonsai", but if I were you and that was my only option, I'd do it and see.
Good luck and let me know how it does. Most of the time, trees adapt. Maybe sometime you can find a real home for it.
Thanks for writing, I enjoy hearing from you.
Sharon
