Black Locust

Robinia pseudo-acacia

Native to South Carolina (estimated)

Photographs are not available yet.

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

62CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including SC

Genus host records with ranges including SC · Robinia

Epargyreus clarusSilver-spotted Skipper
Acharia stimuleaSaddleback Caterpillar Moth
Acronicta americanaAmerican Dagger
Actias lunaLuna Moth
Agonopterix robiniellaFour-Dotted Agonopterix Moth, Locust Leaffolder
Alsophila pometariaFall Cankerworm Moth
Amyelois transitellaNavel Orangeworm
Anticarsia gemmatalisVelvetbean Caterpillar Moth
Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
Aroga trialbamaculellaRed-Striped Fireworm Moth

Show all 62

Automeris ioIo Moth
Biston betulariaSalt-and-Pepper Geometer, Cleft-Headed Looper
Caloptilia stigmatellaPoplar Caloptilia
Catocala habilisHabilis Underwing
Catocala illectaMagdalen Underwing
Celiptera frustulumBlack Bit Moth
Ceratomia amyntorElm Sphinx
Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
Colias philodiceClouded Sulphur, Clover Butterfly
Dasylophia anguinaBlack-Spotted Prominent
Datana ministraYellow-Necked Caterpillar Moth
Digrammia ocellinataFaint-Spotted Angle
Eacles imperialisImperial Moth, Imperial Spiny Caterpillar
Ecdytolopha insiticianaLocust Twig Borer Moth
Elasmopalpus lignosellaLesser Cornstalk Borer
Euparthenos nubilisLocust Underwing
Gesta icelusDreamy Duskywing
Gesta zaruccoZarucco Duskywing
Gymnandrosoma punctidiscanumDotted Gymnast, Dotted Ecdytolopha
Halysidota tessellarisBanded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger Moth
Heliomata cycladataCommon Spring Moth, Stout Locust Looper
Heliomata infulataRare Spring Moth
Hypena scabraGreen Cloverworm Bomolocha, Black Snout
Hypercompe scriboniaGiant Leopard Moth, Great Leopard Moth
Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
Malacosoma disstriaForest Tent Caterpillar
Mellilla xanthometataOrange Wing
Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
Norape cretataWhite Flannel Moth
Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
Oiketicus abbotiiAbbot's Bagworm Moth
Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
Parectopa robiniellaLocust Digitate Leafminer
Pero honestariaHonest Pero
Prionoxystus robiniaeCarpenterworm Moth, Black Locust Borer, Cottonwood Borer
Pseudanthracia coraciasPseudanthracia Moth
Psilocorsis cryptolechiellaBlack-Fringed Leaftier
Pyrrhia ciliscaAmerican Bordered Sallow, Noble Sun Moth
Sciota subcaesiellaLocust Leafroller
Sciota virgatellaBlack-Spotted Leafroller
Selenisa sueroidesTailpipes, Pale-Edged Selenisa Moth
Sparganothis sulfureanaSparganothis Fruitworm Moth, Sulfur Leafroller, False Yellow-Head
Syssphinx bicolorHoney Locust Moth
Tetracis cachexiataWhite Slant-Line
Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
Tlascala reductellaTlascala Moth, Honey Locust Leafroller
Zale undularisBlack Zale
Zale unilineataOne-Lined Zale
Filatima xanthuris
Sinoe robiniella

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

1BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Robinia

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0

0Specialist beesPollen specialists

3BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Robinia

Callipepla californicaCalifornia Quail
Columba liviaRock Pigeon
Oreortyx pictusMountain Quail

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Fabaceae
Hardiness: Zones 3a–8b
Soil pH: Acidic to alkaline
Flower color: White
Growth rate: Rapid
Growth habit: Several stems
Foliage color: Green
Fruit begins: Spring
Fruit ends: Summer

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “Spring” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Flower color · “White” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit begins · “Spring” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit ends · “Summer” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth habit · “Several stems” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth rate · “Rapid” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Hardiness · “Zones 3a–8b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “50 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Leaves · “Deciduous” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
primary_flower_color · “white” · USDA PLANTS
Soil · “Moist; Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil pH · “Acidic to alkaline” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Spread · “20–35 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Also known as

Black Locust; Robinia pseudo acacia; Robinia pseudo-acacia

Conservation status

South Carolina rank	Not available
Global rank	G5
SC status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

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