The robinia is a popular deciduous tree that is often planted in parks and private gardens. In early summer, the tree presents itself with white, innocent-looking flowers. But appearances are deceptive. The black locust is not only extremely poisonous, its sharp thorns punish anyone who comes too close. Everything you need to know about black locust spines is in this article.
The robinia has sharp spines
Characteristics of the spines
- reddish brown color
- up to three centimeters long
Where are the spines of the robinia located?
You can find the thorns of the black locust on its branches. These are actually the stipules, which are formed as sharp thorns.
Be careful when cutting
As beautiful as a black locust may be, the spines make it difficult to care for. Fortunately, pruning is not usually necessary, but if you want to keep growth low, you should be very careful when working on the robinia so as not to injure yourself.
- Before purchasing the deciduous tree, consider carefully whether you accept the risk of injury, for example from children playing
- always wear gloves when pruning the crown
It almost seems as if the nature of the black locust has given it a double protective function against human intervention. In addition to the sharp thorns, the plant parts also contain toxic substances. Therefore, be especially careful if you have already injured yourself on the spikes. If the toxic substances get into the wound, there is a risk of health complications.
Are there also robinias without thorns?
Do you own a robinia and are wondering why this article warns so urgently about the sharp spikes? You can't see any thorns on your deciduous tree. In very rare cases, robinia really do not form any thorns. Then it is less a breeding form, but rather one of the following possibilities:
- Your robinia is already very old
- Your robinia was not grown from a stolon but from seedlings
As a rule, mainly young shoots have the sharp spines. Old plants that have often been cut back slowly stop forming. In addition, plant experts suspect that the formation of thorns in specimens from seedlings is less common than in the usual extraction from stolons.