Today I'll share a quick description of black locust trees in general, some pros and cons to consider of their spreading, as well as how I harvest and cook with their delicious white flower clusters that are, without a doubt, the best edible flower I've ever had.
Tasty & nutritious, black locust flowers are only in bloom for a week or two each spring. Here's how to identify & harvest them, plus ideas for using!
Identifying species of locust trees can be done by features such as their flowers, color of bark, height of the tree, and the thorns. Another way to identify the type of locust tree is by the shape and color of its seed pods.
Locusts are deciduous and bear long compound leaves with up to 21 oblong leaflets. Many species are armed with thorns. The flowers are often showy and fragrant and hang in loose clusters. The fruits are long flattened legumes.
Foraging black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) offers edible and medicinal benefits, but it requires caution due to its toxic parts. Learn how to safely identify, harvest, and use the edible flowers and young shoots in recipes and remedies, while avoiding toxic leaves, bark, and seeds.
Black Locust provides essential food and habitat for various wildlife species. Its fragrant flowers produce abundant nectar, attracting bees, honeybees, and hummingbirds.
When I was a little girl, I would spend my spring with my grandmother, who lived in a tiny village in the eastern part of Henan province. The village is surrounded by locust trees. Flowering in late ...
Nothing declares spring is here louder than the pendulous blooms of the black locust tree, yanghuai. It announces the season by bursting into huge clusters of ivory-colored flowers. These will often ...