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Black locust (false acacia, yellow locust)
Robinia pseudo-acacia L.
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
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| Description |
Use in
alternative medicine |
Use in
cosmetics |
Active ingredients |
It is a deciduous tree native in the eastern part of North-America. It was introduced to Europe as an ornamental tree and botanic curiosity in the 17th century. In Hungary it was first planted in parks in the early 18th century.
Its first large-scale planting took place in 1750, on an area of 290 ha. around the Komarom-Herkaly fortress. This humble and invasive tree had a significant role in reforestation on the Great Plain of Hungary; it was planted on huge areas for binding drift sand. By the second half of the last century over 200,000 ha of black locust forests had been planted, which is more than the total area planted with black locust in Europe.
It is now an inseparable part of the image of the Great Plains. Its wood is excellent for helves, firewood, durable floorboards, parquet floor and is gaining ground in the production of outdoor furniture. It is a major honey plant and Hungarian monofloral black locust honey is rightly reputable even abroad. Its flowers are edible, are consumed as a delicacy mixed into pancake dough, and have been long used as a dried herb.
The decoction of black locust flowers is antitussive, slightly antispasmodic and is effective against acid stomach and the high muscle tone of the stomach. The flowers are also used as a flavour enhancer in tea blends. In traditional medicine the infusion made from its bark has been used for acid stomach and constipation but it is to be handled with care because of its toxic active ingredients.
In the beauty industry, black locust flower extract is used for conditioning and invigorating the skin. It is used for sensitive skin prone to acne, inflammation and seborrhoea as well as oil and water deficient skin in cosmetic products, while the essential oil is used in the perfume industry.
►Bark, seeds: (Robiniae cortex)
lectins (toxic active ingredients),
►Flowers: (Robiniae pseudacaciae flos)
essential oil 0.15-0.2% (linalool), robinin- and akaciin-glycoside, robigenin-campherol, heliotropin, aromatic compounds
robin, phasin, akaciin (toxic active ingredients)