False Acacia

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Fabales

Fabaceae (Pea)

Alpine Milk-vetch, Alsike Clover, Birdsfoot, Birdsfoot Clover, Bird's-foot Trefoil, Bithynian Vetch, Bitter Vetch, Black Broom, Black Medick, Bladder Senna, Broad Bean, Broad-leaved Everlasting Pea, Bur Medick, Burrowing Clover, Bush Vetch, Clustered Clover, Common Broom, Common Gorse, Common Laburnum, Common Restharrow, Common Vetch, Crimson Clover, Crown Vetch, Dragon's Teeth, Dwarf Gorse, Dyer's Greenweed, Fine-leaved Vetch, Fodder Vetch, Garden Lupin, Garden Pea, Goat's Rue, Grass Vetchling, Greater Bird's-foot Trefoil, Hairy Bird's-foot Trefoil, Hairy Greenweed, Hairy Tare, Hairy Vetchling, Hairy-fruited Broom, Haresfoot Clover, Hop Trefoil, Horseshoe Vetch, Hungarian Vetch, Kidney Vetch, Knotted Clover, Large Trefoil, Lesser Trefoil, Lucerne, Marsh Pea, Meadow Vetchling, Narrow-leaved Bird's-foot Trefoil, Narrow-leaved Everlasting Pea, Narrow-leaved Vetch, Nootka Lupin, Norfolk Everlasting Pea, Orange Birdsfoot, Petty Whin, Purple Milk-vetch, Purple Oxytropis, Red Clover, Reversed Clover, Ribbed Melilot, Rough Clover, Russell Lupin, Sainfoin, Scorpion Senna, Scottish Laburnum, Sea Clover, Sea Pea, Sickle Medick, Slender Bird's-foot Trefoil, Slender Tare, Slender Trefoil, Small Melilot, Small Restharrow, Smooth Tare, Spanish Broom, Spanish Gorse, Spiny Restharrow, Spotted Medick, Spring Vetch, Strawberry Clover, Suffocated Clover, Sulphur Clover, Tall Melilot, Toothed Medick, Tree Lupin, Tuberous Pea, Tufted Vetch, Twin-headed Clover, Two-flowered Everlasting Pea, Upright Clover, Upright Vetch, Western Clover, Western Gorse, White Broom, White Clover, White Lupin, White Melilot, Wild Liquorice, Wood Vetch, Yellow Oxytropis, Yellow Vetch, Yellow Vetchling, Zigzag Clover

Deciduous tree

Perennial

30 metres tall

Gardens, parks, scrub, towns, woodland.

False Acacia, also known as Black Locust, produces hanging clusters of fragrant white flowers in late spring to early summer (typically May to June). The pea-like flowers are around 2 cm long, with a yellow blotch on the upper petal, and resemble those of other members of the pea family (Fabaceae). They grow in long, drooping racemes and are highly attractive to bees and other pollinators.

The fruit of False Acacia appears after flowering and takes the form of flat, brown pods about 5–10 cm long. These papery pods contain several hard, bean-like seeds and remain on the tree well into winter. Though visually similar to edible legumes, the seeds are toxic to humans and many animals if ingested.

The leaves of False Acacia are pinnate and alternate along the branches. Each leaf typically contains 7–21 oval leaflets with smooth edges, arranged in opposite pairs along a central stalk. The leaflets are soft green above and slightly paler underneath. In autumn, the foliage turns a striking yellow before falling.

The flowers of False Acacia emit a strong, sweet, honey-like fragrance that is particularly noticeable on warm days. This scent is one of the reasons the tree is often planted ornamentally. The aroma is also valued in honey production, especially in southern and central Europe, where bees produce high-quality acacia honey from its nectar.

Black Locust.

Occasionally seen