My Black Locust observation is marked as “Introduced in Frederick County, MD, US: arrived in the region via anthropogenic means”. I’m skeptical that this tree is not native to the area where I observed it, on the western edge of Frederick County. First, this location is very close to the eastern edge of some native range maps I’ve seen. Second, the vicinity around the observation site has been known as “Locust Valley” since at least as far back as the 1790s, according to a local historical society web site. Early-mid 19th century land records also refer to this place name. I doubt the name alluded to the insect; the Honey Locust’s native range is even farther west.
If the Black Locust had not already been here before Europeans began settling the area in the 1700s, why would they have taken the trouble to introduce it? Many other high-quality hardwoods must have been widely available at the time, if BL was not.
