Seed - cooked[2, 55, 61]. Oily[161]. They are boiled and used like peas[183]. After boiling the seeds lose their acid taste[213]. The seed is about 4mm long and is produced in pods up to 10cm long that contain 4 - 8 seeds[82]. A nutritional analysis is available[218]. Young seedpods - cooked[105]. The pods contain a sweetish pulp that is safe to eat and is relished by small children[201]. (This report is quite probably mistaken, having been confused with the honey locust, Gleditsia spp[K].) A strong, narcotic and intoxicating drink is made from the skin of the fruit[13]. Piperonal is extracted from the plant, it is used as a vanilla substitute[105]. No further details. All the above entries should be treated with some caution, see the notes at the top of the page regarding toxicity. Flowers - cooked. A fragrant aroma, they are used in making jams and pancakes[7, 183]. They can also be made into a pleasant drink[183].

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.


Febrifuge[13, 46]. The flowers are antispasmodic, aromatic, diuretic, emollient and laxative[218]. They are cooked and eaten for the treatment of eye ailments[218]. The flower is said to contain the antitumor compound benzoaldehyde[269]. The inner bark and the root bark are emetic, purgative and tonic[4, 7, 218, 257]. The root bark has been chewed to induce vomiting, or held in the mouth to allay toothache[222, 257], though it is rarely if ever prescribed as a therapeutic agent in Britain[4]. The fruit is narcotic[13]. This probably refers to the seedpod. The leaves are cholagogue and emetic[7]. The leaf juice inhibits viruses[218].

Agroforestry Uses: This species has been widely planted for shelterbelts and windbreaks, and is also used to produce woody biomass for energy production[1050 ]. It suckers freely, especially if coppiced, and can be used for stabilizing banks etc[200 , 226 ]. It is used in restoration and rehabilitation projects because its extensive root system holds and stabilizes the soil surface, it sprouts vigorously and prolifically, it increases soil fertility through nitrogen fixation, and it forms a leaf litter that protects the soil. Its main use has been in the rehabilitation of former surface mine sites and for erosion control, but it is also used to rehabilitate contaminated soils, depleted soils, gravel pits, and logged areas, and to stabilize railroad embankments and highway edges[1050 ]. The plant is often found as a pioneer on old fields, burned areas, and lands strip-mined for coal[418 ]. The leaves are rich in tannin and other substances which inhibit the growth of other plants[13 ]. The flowers are a rich source of nectar. Honey produced from this nectar is considered to be of high quality and fetches a price premium. Other Uses: A drying oil is obtained from the seed[2 , 7 ]. An essential oil is obtained from the flowers. Highly valued, it is used in perfumery[7 , 57 , 100 ]. A yellow dye is obtained from the bark[223 ]. Robinetin is a strong dyestuff yielding with different mordants different shades similar to those obtained with fisetin, quercetin, and myricetin; with aluminum mordant, it dyes cotton to a brown-orange shade[269 ]. The bark contains tannin, but not in sufficient quantity for utilization[223 ]. On a 10% moisture basis, the bark contains 7.2% tannin and the heartwood of young trees 5.7%[223 ]. The bark is used to make paper and is a substitute for silk and wool[13 ]. The wood is close-grained, exceedingly hard, heavy, very strong (due to a high lignin content), resists shock and is very durable in contact with the soil. It weighs 45lb per cubic foot. It does not shrink much when drying. The wood is used in shipbuilding and for making fence posts, tree nails, flooring, furniture, woodenware etc[4 , 7 , 11 , 13 , 46 , 61 , 82 , 149 , 171 , 227 , 418 , 1050 ]. The wood of Robinia pseudoacacia var. rectissima, the so called 'Long Island' or 'Shipmast' locust, has a greater resistance to decay and wood borers, outlasting other locust posts and stakes by 50 - 100%[269 ]. A very good fuel[82 , 418 ], but it should be used with caution because it flares up and projects sparks[226 ]. The wood is also used for making charcoal[418 ]. A dynamic accumulator gathering minerals or nutrients from the soil and storing them in a more bioavailable form - used as fertilizer or to improve mulch.

Special Uses