In many cities the smell of bergamot is intense from the end of May to the beginning of June (and sometimes also in autumn), and this is due to the Black locust blossoming. It is often planted as a city tree and also likes to become feral in warm locations. I know this wonderfully fragrant tree as a poisonous plant, and indeed the bark, fruits and unpeeled seeds in particular are poisonous if processed incorrectly! However, the toxins contained are heat-labile and water-soluble, so that they can be elimated by sufficient watering and/or cooking. Anyone who does not know how to prepare the poisonous parts of Black locust safely should not dare to experiment. Preparation mistakes can have unpleasant consequences such as vomiting.

However, the fresh flowers are often used in different countries as aromatic inflorescence vegetables. In Romania the petals are boiled in sugar water to produce a fragrant jam, but they can also be thickened further to an aromatic syrup. In France, Italy and Japan, on the other hand, it is common to coat the flowers in batter and deep-fry them to  produce beignets or tempura. The flowers give herbal teas a bergamot-like fragrance.

• Edible Flowers
• Also edible Unripe fruits Leaves
• Culinary Group Inflorescence vegetable Wild herbs
• Taste aromatic
• Trivial Names Robinie, Gewöhnliche Robinie, Weiße Robinie, Falsche Akazie, Scheinakazie, Gemeiner Schotendorn, Silberregen, False acacia, Black locust, Robinier faux-acacia, Carouge
• Size (Inflorescence) 18 cm
• Taxonomy Fabaceae (legume family) Robinia pseudoacacia
• Origin North-America: Southeast (Map)
• Locality Wasteland in Frankfurt, gathered 2018