Robinias were even planted in the government district, they tolerate extreme drought and are a good source of food for bees Photo: Sven Meissner
From Hildburg Bruns
The first specimens were planted in the Lustgarten as early as 1670. In the 1980s, the easily available robinia trees of the GDR helped to secure the Kienberg (102 meters) heaped up in Marzahn.
But are these invaders from the Appalachia (USA) actually welcome in Berlin? With beekeepers and bees yes, also with companies that build playground equipment from the hard wood that does not need to be impregnated.
On the other hand, it is fought in nature reserves, as can be seen from a parliamentary question by the AfD. There it is too dominant and endangers nutrient-poor and dry grassland as well as forest and water edges, conquers open dune areas, for example in the Baumberge (Heiligensee) and the Wilhelmshagen-Woltersdorf dune range.
How are robinias fought there? Young plants of the root suckers are grazed by goats. Cutting down older trees is of little use, because this even promotes the offspring via root suckers.
Where in the capital are there black locust trees whose seeds and bark are also poisonous?
►10,802 robinias line the streets (two percent of all street trees).
►800 of 16,000 hectares of Berlin forests are interspersed with robinia.
This invasive species is not used to green wasteland in Berlin.