Robinia

In the name of the king
The robinia is a widely travelled tree. Jean Robin, the court gardener to the French kings, brought this tree to Paris in the 30s of the 17th century. There are still two trees planted by Robin himself in the Jardin des Plantes and near Notre-Dame. They are said to be the oldest trees in the city.

A bountiful table for bees
With their sweet nectar containing almost 60 percent sugar, the robinias attract the bees.
Many beekeepers take advantage of this and plant the trees as honey plants. But don't be surprised if you can't find robinia honey at the supermarket. That's because it is sold under the name "acacia honey".

Immigrant from America
The robinia is actually native to North America and Mexico, but has meanwhile become an intrinsic part of the European street scenery. It thrives even at altitudes of up to 1,600 metres. Bacteria that live in the robinia's roots help the tree to take nitrogen from the air and thus fertilise itself. Other plants benefit from this process and like to colonise under the robinia's canopy.