Robinia pseudoacacia

Black locust

Family: Fabaceae · Type: tree · Not Native

Conservation status: Cal-IPC Yes

Black locust is a naturalized tree found in California Floristic Province and Great Basin regions, locally common near abandoned houses, roadsides, canyon slopes, and streambanks at elevations of 50 to 1,900 meters. Flowering from May to June, this tree produces white flowers with corolla 1.5 to 2 centimeters long. Growing with an upright, branching form to moderate heights, it develops a sturdy trunk with rough, deeply furrowed bark. Its compound leaves are composed of multiple oval leaflets arranged pinnately, typically dark green and arranged in dense clusters. This introduced species is known for its ability to thrive in disturbed landscapes and readily colonize open areas.

Habitat: Locally common near abandoned houses, roadsides, canyon slopes, streambanks

Bloom period: May-Jun

Elevation: 50-1900 m

Bioregions: CA-FP, GB

California counties: Amador, Butte, Inyo, Los Angeles, Kern, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Shasta, Lake, Alameda, Mendocino, Napa, Santa Cruz, Tulare, Monterey, Orange, Solano, El Dorado, Placer, Calaveras, Fresno, Marin, Nevada, San Luis Obispo, Santa Clara, Trinity, Tuolumne, Ventura, Yolo, San Mateo, Siskiyou, Sacramento, Yuba, Contra Costa, Mono, Humboldt, Tehama, Sierra, Stanislaus, San Joaquin, Mariposa

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.