Tree of great sadness

On the inner courtyard along the Naamsestraat stands a beautiful honey locust or "Sophora japonica". This tree is over 200 years old and was seeded in 1812 by a clergyman who had brought seeds of this species from Japan.

Images from the early part of this century show that the tree was then almost twice as large and its branches reached the façades across the street.

Leuven students used to call it the tree of great sorrow. Between 1921 and 1977, the Atrechtcollege was mainly used as a residence for female students. The strict discipline that prevailed caused a lot of sorrow among the boys who, at the entrance, near the honey locust, saw their beloved unreachable (the girls had to be inside by 7 PM). Many tears have been shed at the feet of this honey locust.

The true name 'honey locust' derives from the abundant nectar production that attracts many bees and other insects. This tree is the thickest of its kind in Belgium.

The honey locust stands remarkably close to the wall that separates the elevated garden from the street. Either the owner thought the tree would never grow this large, or he deliberately planted it as far from his house as possible. In any case, the roots exert a great pressure on the wall. It is astonishing that it still looks so straight...

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