Very thorny tree/shrub id needed

[Michel]

I am sure this is NOT a native, but I have seen it now in a couple of places in Salem.  Can anyone ID it and is it considered invasive and reportable?  The thorns are vicious. 

[Tanya Lasswell]

I'd guess a black locust, given the twinned, hefty, uncurved spines and all the lenticels (white dots on the bark).

On Fri, Apr 12, 2024 at 11:53 AM Michel <mls...@msn.com> wrote:

I am sure this is NOT a native, but I have seen it now in a couple of places in Salem.  Can anyone ID it and is it considered invasive and reportable?  The thorns are vicious. 

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[Carma Sue Henry]

Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) is native throughout the Central US and a very important host species for birds and insects.  It also has abundant flowers early in the summer that smell absolutely amazing.  It's a close relative of Honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos).  These are woody members of the legume family (peas and beans).  Both locust varities occupy an important niche as very hardy riparian trees that survive well in the harsh conditions of plateaus and prairies, where few other tall trees can manage.  They can grow to about 75ft.

Black locust suffered great declines when white settlers on the plains discovered it made excellent fence posts as few other species were available.  Farmers were amazed to find new trees sprouting from 'planted' split posts. The lumber is also important for it's resistance to rot and flexibility.  That lead to it being naturalized throughout the West and introduced in many other places.  In Australia and some other regions it is considered a noxious invasive.  

The spines are only present on new growth and persist for two or three years, afterwhich they will fall off as the rough bark forms.  They aren't a problem on a mature tree where new growth is well out of reach.  However, if the main trunk or the roots are wounded or disturbed, suckers might come up from the roots and around the crown.  From personal experience, suckers may continue to erupt from old root systems for years.  Sucker growth can be very spiny, bothersome and persistent.  If you can tolerate that inconvenience, the mature trees will reward you by providing excellent wildlife habitat, lovely shade and spring aromas.

We had a multi-trunked Black locust in Seattle that housed generations of friendly raccoons, squirrels, Flickers and Pileated Woodpeckers among other species.  Every spring, reliably, for 37 years, a flock of Band-tailed Pigeons came to devour the abundant flowers.  That was a lovely show.  Wish we had one here.

Carma Henry

[Carma Sue Henry]

Sorry, meant to include this in previous post.

Black locust in full flower June 1, 2017, Seattle, WA.  Flowers begin in mid-day and continue for 3 - 4 weeks.  Very lovely aroma.  Last about 4 days as a cut flower.  Favorite of Band-tailed Pigeons.  Seeds are similar in size and shape to lentils, about 5-7 in a long peapod that hangs dried on the branches through winter.  

[Gayle]

Good to know, Carma Sue. Thanks.

Gayle Peterson

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[howard bruner]

Hi Michel

It is black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia). From Wikipedia:

Robinia pseudoacacia, commonly known in its native territory as black locust,[2] is a medium-sized hardwood deciduous tree, belonging to the tribe Robinieae of the legume family Fabaceae. It is native to a few small areas of the United States, but it has been widely planted and naturalized elsewhere in temperate North America,[3] Europe, Southern Africa[4] and Asia and is considered an invasive species in some areas, such as the temperate east coast of Australia where the cultivar 'Frisia'(Golden Robinia) was widely planted as a street tree before being classed as a weed.[5] Another common name is false acacia,[6] a literal translation of the specific name (pseudo [Greek ψευδο-] meaning fake or false and acacia referring to the genus of plants with the same name).

H

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From: mid-vall...@googlegroups.com <mid-vall...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Michel <mls...@msn.com>
Sent: Friday, April 12, 2024 11:53 AM
To: Mid-Valley Nature <mid-vall...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [MidValleyNature:7426] Very thorny tree/shrub id needed

 

I am sure this is NOT a native, but I have seen it now in a couple of places in Salem.  Can anyone ID it and is it considered invasive and reportable?  The thorns are vicious. 

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[Michel]

Thanks to all for the info.  Good to know it outgrows its thorniness into a beautiful tree.

[Donald Gunther]

would urge caution in promoting the use of black locust in western Oregon. I've found it to be very weedy, sprouting freely from roots. If you cut down a mature black locust, a thicket of root sprouts will appear, often at a great distance from the parent tree. 

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[Carma Sue Henry]

I agree.  I think most people on this list are aware of the potential problems caused by invasive species.  In general, I think it's best to use locally native plants when doing any new planting.  

Gardeners in general adore exotic species and 'plant hunters' who comb the most inaccessible corners for the world for intriguing new plants are the stars and heroes of the plant world.

The question as to what the terms 'native' vs 'invasive' encompass is fairly new and really contentious.  Does it mean something from the continental US (as with the Black Locust) or something from within a specific watershed?  

The debate over the Butterfly bush is an example.  It's a very beneficial plant for many insects and heavily promoted for backyard gardens, but each plant produces millions of highly viable seeds and it spreads very quickly to choke out native species.  'Wildflower' seed mixes promoted for meadow enhancements are usually all plants 'native' only to the eastern US.

There is a arguement that having 'specimen' plantings in controlled environments such as aboretums is acceptable.  They preserve endangered species and are educational as they allows us to experience exotic species in a controlled way.  But what about ordinary gardeners who just love pretty plants?  Any landscape plan needs careful consideration with an eye to the future.  It can take many years for the detrimental aspects of a specific species to emerge.

That's why I haven't yet planted a Black Locust here even though I'd Iike to have one.  Ours in Seattle started to sucker like crazy when we disturbed the roots putting in a vegetable garden.  It was a problem every single year thereafter.  However, it is not a tree that, to my knowledge, freely reproduces on it's on and overruns native habitats here in the western United States.  As I mentioned, it is considered a noxious invasive in other parts of the world. 

I don't want a nasty, thorny thicket of Locust, just a single garden specimen, because I love them.  I may still put one in someday but in a part of the property that's unlikely to have any future disturbance of the root area.  I'm still debating.  

This discussion is a good reminder to think really hard about our plant choices.

Carma Henry