03/28/2021
Nitrogen fixing bacteria root nodules from Black Locust. We were planting Paw Paws in an area surrounded by those trees and dug this root up. The Black Locust grove is centered around the old farmstead here, which suggests the family might have planted the original ones. It may or may not be native to these parts, although not far from here (Ozarks) it is. It is considered invasive by some, and although it is fairly aggressive in spreading to open areas, I find it to be manageable by mowing, and the trees are quite useful, not only for adding nitrogen to the soil, but also as firewood and fenceposts. They grow straight and fast and I think farmers in the past also used them as part of their woodlot management plans. The flowers are quite fragrant, so NRCS thinks they compete with other plants for pollinators (!). I like to feed the pollinators all they want, myself!
