05/02/2020
In times of Corona, we continue to have our garden advice via the information telephone,
on Saturdays between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. A caller referred to
different views of their neighbors and garden friends on robinia. she stands
as well as the silver linden tree in the crossfire.

The Black Locust
The robinia is one of the foreign tree species, and its pros and cons are excellent
is disputed. For this reason we would like to go into more detail on this tree
enter. First to the given advantages. For over 300 years it has been used everywhere
Europe planted in parks and gardens and has long been widespread due to naturalization. she
can fix atmospheric nitrogen and supply it to the soil. She owns a high
Carbon storage potential, is undemanding and highly adaptable. She also tolerates
extreme periods of heat and drought and will become very severe under the forthcoming climate changes
probably still play an important role. She showed us this in the heat
and drought years of 2018 and 2019, even under urban conditions.
The robinia has had a permanent place in urban areas for a long time - because of its attractiveness
flowering, the not too dense foliage, the initial rapid growth, the
controllable crown size and their salt tolerance. Among beekeepers, the robinia is very
valued for honey production. Incidentally, the wood is considered a good substitute for tropical wood.
However, it does not form straight trunks. The robinia has an extremely fast
growing root system that strengthens the soil surface, more in loose substrate
than 7 m in depth and as a result it is particularly good against periods of drought
is armed. It also provides excellent protection against erosion. She offers protection
and dens for birds, also for insects. It is a pioneer tree species for barren locations.
Now to selected counter-arguments. From the opponent's point of view, the robinia should be like this
be combated as vigorously as possible. Your competitive advantage, namely atmospheric nitrogen
to be able to fix and feed into the ground is, from the point of view of nature conservation, inverted
Opposite: Nitrogen enrichment makes rare plants different from others
Herbaceous plants such as stinging nettles are displaced. Therefore, the robinia on special
Locations not estimated from a nature conservation perspective. The black locust is poisonous and has thorns
and produces a lot of root suckers, making it difficult to control. The robinia is the one with
By far the most common neophyte in the forest and behaves invasively in warm and dry forest areas.
You can sensitive ecosystems such as dry meadows, former alluvial forest and dry
colonize forests.

Conclusion
From areas of Europe with higher temperatures and scarce summer rainfall,
for example Hungary, France, Italy or Romania, is predominantly positive about the
Black locust reported. In Germany, the Robinia is most common in Brandenburg and
Saxony-Anhalt cultivated. This is no coincidence, because both countries belong to the predominantly
dry regions in Germany. Against the background of climate change and the
associated negative tendencies up to desertifying landscapes also in
Central Europe or the required protection against soil erosion, the value of this
well-known and yet very special tree species are reassessed from our point of view.
Also in our region (Coswig area) their obvious locational advantage (drier
Sandy soil, little precipitation, high air temperatures) contribute to the use of the robinia
make a significant contribution to plant planning. It has been growing excellently for decades
exposed, extremely dry-hot locations such as in vineyards and the rock of the
Bosel. The white flowers in May/June are very attractive, and the unspoilt ones also have them
Trunks of older specimens have a special charm with their decoratively furrowed bark.
Irrespective of this, it should be noted that the robinia grows in or in the border area
nature reserves still has no place.