Enemies: The locust borer has done serious damage to this tree. The grubs of this insect burrow in the sapwood and kill the tree or make it unfit for commercial use. The locust miner is a beetle which is now annually defoliating trees of this species in large numbers.
Value for planting: It has little value for ornamental planting.
Commercial value: Though short-lived, the locust grows very rapidly. It is extremely durable in contact with the soil and possesses great strength. It is therefore extensively grown for fence-posts and railroad ties. Locust posts will last from fifteen to twenty years. The wood is valuable for fuel.
Fig. 82.—Black Locust Trees.
Other characters: The flowers are showy pea-shaped panicles appearing in May and June. The fruit is a small pod.
Other common names: Yellow locust; common locust; locust.
Comparisons: The honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) can be told from the black locust by the differences in their bark. In the honey locust the bark is not ridged, has a sort of dark iron-gray color and is often covered with clusters of stout, sharp-pointed thorns as in [Fig. 83]. The fruit is a large pod often remaining on the tree through the winter. This tree has an ornamental, but no commercial value.