Hello and Welcome!

Thank you for stopping by my website dedicated to Robinia pseudoacacia!  My name is Jessica, and I am a student at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse.  I made this site in the spring of 2013 as a project for my Organismal Biology class.  All of my peers have made their own web pages on a variety of organisms as well. To take a look at some of them, check out MultipleOrganisms.net.  If you have any questions or comments regarding my website, feel free to contact me at klebs.jess@uwlax.edu.  For more information about myself, check out my About Me page.           
Jennifer Anderson, 2001
USDA Plant Database
White Blossoms on Black LocustRobinia pseudoacacia, more commonly known as the black locust, typically grow about 60 feet high and are characterized by the beautiful white blossoms they yield in the spring.  However, their beauty can be deceiving as the inner bark, leaves and seeds are all toxic.  It is native to North America, but has established itself in many other parts of the world including areas in Europe and Asia.  The origin of this species' common name is a bit misleading.  A long time ago, Jesuit missionaries had thought this tree was eaten by John the Baptist while he lived in the wilderness.  He was said to have eaten “locusts”, which are believed to have been pods which grow on the carob tree.  Since the carob tree and the black locust resemble one another, the black locust's name stems from this story in the Bible, despite the confusion.                 
Now that you know a little bit about how the black locust came by its common name, please read on to my other pages about Robinia pseudoacacia to learn more!  I have included a classification page discussing the black locust's phylogeny and where fits in with other organisms.  After that I have a habitat page that describes where this tree lives and what kind of environment it occupies.  Then there's is the adaptation page that talks about how the black locust has survived up to today, followed by pages about how the black locust acquires nutrition and how it reproduces.  Finally, I have a page describing how this tree interacts with other organisms, and a Fun Facts page which talks a little bit about how this tree is useful to us!


Read on to the classification page next to learn more about Robinia pseudoacacia!


 Banner Photo Credit: Steven J. Baskauf, 2002. From Bioimages