Acacia

[Robbyrasta]

Has anyone got any experience or knowledge of growing acacia in the Uk?

 

 Two plots, one of failed larch, wind blow and another plot of failed Douglas, again wind blow. Looking for something a bit different. Sitka,Scots or Corsican would be alternatives.

 

[Mick Dempsey]

Do you mean real acacia or robinia?

[Robbyrasta]

Hmm iof that I am not sure- somebody just suggested it, says it’s grown in France a fair bit.

looking at pictures, I think I had robinia in my head as they were in the garden.

[Mick Dempsey]

Then it’s robinia, useful wood, good fencing, good firewood, seems to coppice readily, normally eschewed in favour of sweet chestnut here, thought of S.chestnut?

[The avantgardener]

I have seen Robinia growing well in the south of France , the young plots attract the boar, it coppices really well, grows fast and makes useful timber, my friend has a mix of Robinia and Sweet Chestnut in the same stand.

Its worth having a go with Robinia as Sweet Chestnut is being hammered all over with Phytophthora.

[Mick Dempsey]

1 minute ago, The avantgardener said:

I have seen Robinia growing well in the south of France , the young plots attract the boar, it coppices really well, grows fast and makes useful timber, my friend has a mix of Robinia and Sweet Chestnut in the same stand.

Its worth having a go with Robinia as Sweet Chestnut is being hammered all over with Phytophthora.

You make a good point about S.C.

[Stubby]

Also called Black locust I believe . I have burnt it and its good . Can confirm it coppices well .

[sime42]

Nice wood to woodwork with too. Attractive, even grained, finishes well. Only downside it's hard, don't bother trying to handsand!

[sime42]

Used a lot in the US as fencing material, due to its durability and strength.

[Stere]

Quote

As a young man, Abraham Lincoln spent much of his time splitting rails and fence posts from black locust logs

 

Quote

In the Netherlands and some other parts of Europe, black locust is one of the most rot-resistant local trees, and projects have started to limit the use of tropical wood by promoting this tree and creating plantations. Flavonoids in the heartwood allow the wood to last over 100 years in soil.^[

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robinia_pseudoacacia

 

https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/42928754.pdf

 

Sounds like a good wood to grow, classed as invasive so must grow well ?

 

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=2ahUKEwiWhrPo7f7hAhWwSBUIHdtHDy0QFjAAegQIAhAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nonnativespecies.org%2FdownloadDocument.cfm%3Fid%3D1385&usg=AOvVaw3zov97iFbMZINsZjD685DU

 

 

 

 

Probably have to wait till next year for bare root....

 

 

https://www.hedging.co.uk/acatalog/product_10284.html