Roots and Routes: The Black Locust and Colonial Entanglements

What can a single tree reveal about colonial histories, migration, and our ways of knowing nature? In her ongoing artistic research, journalist and artistCharlotte Ming traces the journey of the black locust (Robinia) from its origins in North America, to its introduction in Europe, and its later transplantation to Qingdao during German colonial rule. Today, the tree shapes urban life in China, from its fragrant blossoms folded into dumplings to the shade it casts on city streets—while its layered history remains largely hidden.

This event introduces Ming’s project and opens up a broader conversation on plants as carriers of memory and power: colonial pasts, shifting ecologies, invasive species, and the cultural meanings we attach to the natural world. Following Ming’s presentation, a panel with experts from different fields will explore these entanglements and invite the audience to reflect on the many routes—botanical, historical, and cultural—that connect us through plants.