While virtually every city has a tree that can claim to be the oldest, not many have a story as interesting as the one in Paris. Located in Square René Viviani within sight of the Notre Dame, an ancient black locust tree grows behind a wire fence. Surrounded by vibrant moss and saplings, its age is given away by the (somewhat poorly) camouflaged concrete struts that help support its heavier branches.
Something surprising about the oldest tree in the French capital is that it’s not actually French. It was brought from Appalachia by the Parisian botanist Jean Robin, who found that many North American plants were suited to the temperate French climate. The entire genus of locust trees was later named for Robin, giving the Parisian tree the scientific name Robinia pseudoacacia. (The “pseudo” comes from the fact that while similar to acacias, the robinia is not closely related.)
The introduction of these trees to Europe has been somewhat of a mixed bag. It grows fast and strong, so it has been used to repopulate deforested areas and to provide lumber. The flowers are used in a surprising amount of foodstuffs, from teas, pancakes, and fritters to the renowned acacia honey. As they are quite shady, pollution-resistant, and long-lived, they became a popular fixture along city streets. It is this hardiness, however, that also makes it a pest.
In many parts of Europe, uncontrolled black locust growth has made it classified as an invasive species. Australia and South Africa have deemed it a weed. Even in North America, it can be considered invasive as it spreads away from the Appalachian region and converts native grasslands into forests. While there have been efforts to eliminate the spread of black locust to areas where it isn’t wanted, Paris does its best to keep its patient zero alive. The crutches that hold up its branches give the impression that the old tree might be a couple of centuries past its prime. Time will tell how long it holds its impressive title.
