black locust

[ blak loh-kuhst ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

Also called false a·ca·cia [fawls, , uh, -, key, -sh, uh],. a North American tree, Robinia pseudoacacia, of the legume family, having pinnate leaves and clusters of fragrant white flowers.
honey locust.

An Americanism dating back to 1780–90

The black locust, a native of Ohio and Kentucky, may be raised from the seed, with less labor than a nursery of apple trees.

It should not be confused with the very durable wood of the black locust.

I saw the great elms and maples scorched, dead, the tall black locust burned to a ship's mast.

Yet the common black locust is one of the most distinct and pleasing American trees of moderate height.

The flowers are much smaller than those of the black locust, but the pods are several times as long (twelve to eighteen inches).

April 18, 2024petrichor

[pet-ri-kawr]

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