Plant library
Pioneer species
Black Locust
Robinia pseudoacacia
Zones 4–8
America's fastest nitrogen-fixing timber tree — it colonizes abused, eroded ground, drops rot-resistant poles, and feeds the soil faster than almost anything you can plant.
Sun
Full sun
Water
low
Spacing
20-30 ft apart
Soil
Any soil, even poor and eroded, pH 4.5-8.0
Difficulty
easy
Zones
4–8
When to plant
Mar
Apr
Oct
Nov
Timing shifts with your zone — the Genie can pin down exact dates for you.
How to care for it
Plant a young bare-root tree in early spring in the poorest corner of your land. Coppice or thin young stems for rot-proof stakes and let the nitrogen rain on everything below.
Good companions
Ultimate nurse tree for new orchards and eroded slopes
Harvest
Coppice young stems for posts and trellis poles; flowers make good fritters in late spring.
Want a plan for growing Black Locust?
Your Genie can give exact timing and care for your zone.
