What soil does Black locust grow in?

It tolerates these soils: average garden soil, sandy, clay, calcareous.

Is Black locust hardy?

Hardy down to -40 °C (USDA zone 3, RHS H7). It gets through winter in every part of the country.

How far from the house should Black locust be planted?

Plant it at least 4.5 m from buildings. Keep it at least 2.5 m from paving.

How much water does Black locust need?

Water need: low. Drought tolerance: high.

How much does Black locust cost?

It sells for roughly €36 to €220 in local shops, depending on size.

What should I plant instead of Black locust?

We do not recommend it for most Central European gardens. For a similar purpose we recommend: Japanese pagoda tree, Judas tree, Manna ash, Common hawthorn.

Black locust

Robinia pseudoacacia

Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) is a large tree. Light: full sun. Hardy down to -40 °C. Drought tolerance: high. Toxic to dogs, cats and children. Sold in local shops from about €36. We do not recommend it for most Central European gardens.

Illustration of Black locust — An illustration of the typical shape of the mature plant, not a photo.

What it's good for, and what it isn't

A fast-growing, drought-tolerant tree from North America with an open crown, pinnate leaves and fragrant white flower clusters in late May. It is sold as a honey plant, for its durable timber and as an ornamental, the latter mostly as the globe-shaped non-flowering form, the yellow-leaved form and the twisted form. It spreads beyond the garden by root suckers and seed, changes the soil and pushes out the original vegetation, and every part except the flowers is poisonous, so it is not advised for gardens.

We do not recommend this plant

We do not recommend it for most Central European gardens. Further down we show what to plant instead.

Watch out for

Behaves as an invasive tree. It suckers strongly from both stump and roots: damage to the roots or trunk, hard pruning and felling all trigger masses of suckers, sometimes several metres from the tree, in the lawn, in beds or next door. Its seed stays viable in the soil for decades. It fixes nitrogen and so enriches the soil one-sidedly, leaving a species-poor, weedy ground layer; in Central Europe it irreversibly changes sandy and dry grasslands and woodland edges and is very hard to eradicate. In Hungary it is not on the invasive list of the government decree on the protection of woody plants (the earlier decree did include it, except for horticultural cultivars), and it is not on the EU list either, because of its economic and beekeeping importance. The Hungarian decree on Natura 2000 grasslands, however, names it among invasive and site-alien woody species whose establishment and spread must be prevented there; conservation authorities advise not to plant it where avoidable, and the official Swiss list also treats it as invasive. Ornamental cultivars are usually grafted on the species, so thorny suckers can still come up from the rootstock and roots; the globe form does not flower and therefore sets no seed. Other problems: paired thorns on the branches, brittle branches that break in storms, a globe form that can become top-heavy when grafted on a tall stem, leaves disfigured by leaf-mining insects, occasional powdery mildew and canker, and frequent trunk rot in old trees. It comes into leaf late.

Considered invasive in a neighbouring country

It isn't listed here, but don't plant it near natural habitats, woodland or water, and don't leave the clippings outside the garden.

Key facts

Light: Full sun
Water need: Low
Care: Medium
Size after 10 years: 8 m × 5 m
Hardiness: down to -40 °C
Foliage: Deciduous
Flowering: J F M A M J J A S O N D May–June, white

Group	Large tree
Light	Full sun
Size after 10 years	8 m × 5 m
Ultimate size	6–25 m × 4–18 m
Hardiness	down to -40 °C (USDA 3, RHS H7)
Soil	Average garden soil, Sandy, Clay, Calcareous
Foliage	Deciduous
Flowering	May–June, white
Water need	Low
Drought tolerance	High
Maintenance	Medium
Root aggressiveness	Medium
Suckering	yes
Spreading	High
Distance from buildings	at least 4.5 m
Distance from paving	at least 2.5 m
Litter	not typical
Planting distance	800 cm
For dogs	Toxic
For cats	Toxic
For children	Toxic
Typical price	from about €36

Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.

What to plant instead

Recommended plants that do the same job, with similar characteristics.

Japanese pagoda tree

Styphnolobium japonicum 6 m × 4 m after 10 years

A large shade tree with a rounded crown that flowers in the height of summer, when few other trees do, with creamy white, scented panicles that bees…

Large tree

Full sun

Part shade

from about €200

Judas tree

Cercis siliquastrum 6 m × 4 m after 10 years

Pink-purple flowers appear on bare branches and even the trunk in spring, followed by rounded, heart-shaped leaves that provide light summer shade.…

Small tree

Full sun

Part shade

from about €19

Manna ash

Fraxinus ornus 5 m × 3.5 m after 10 years

Manna ash is a medium-sized tree with a rounded crown that covers itself in creamy white, scented flower plumes around May and turns yellow to…

Large tree

Full sun

from about €71

Common hawthorn

Crataegus monogyna 4 m × 3 m after 10 years

A thorny large shrub or small tree that is covered in scented white blossom in May and loaded with red haws in autumn, much loved by birds. It makes…

Small tree

Full sun

Part shade

from about €1.30

Sizes and prices available

The same plant is sold as a small pot and as a specimen several metres tall, and the price follows. Prices are rounded and for guidance only.

Size	Typical price
size not stated	approx. €36 – €220

Frequently asked questions

Data updated: October 8, 2026 · How our data is made

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Black locust vs Empress tree Black locust vs Manna ash

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