Honey Locust...A Love/Hate Relationship

[Hedgerow]

We do it late spring through summer, I think anytime during the growing season. I use what ever tree/brush killer is on sell and mix it strong!

Tordon... It's a green copper sulfate solution of some sort... Nasty... But effective, don't get it on you. Comes in a plastic squeeze bottle.

 

[Hedgerow]

Thanks turnkey4099;
The more I've seen on AS about Honey, and or Black Locust trees and their burning qualities, the more curious I've become as to what in the world is growing around here.....:msp_confused:

The tree that the locals call BlackLocust here has to be a misnomer.... even tho it has small thorns and small leaves, the wood is lightweight and corkey. Its roots are shallow and run just under the ground, sprouting up new saplings along the way. Their height rarely exceeds 20' of the main stem, and it doesn't burn good either. umpkin2:

Post a photo. I'll guarantee someone on here can tell you what it is... Or we'll at least argue about it!!!

 

[3fordasho]

I scored a nice sized honey locust couple years back, a yard tree and lucky for me it was a thornless cultivar. Never seen one with the thorns around here, so maybe they have all have been brought in and don't naturally grow here. Lots of naturally growing black locust, and as mentioned only has thorns on the small branches. The honey locust was a dream to work up- not much bark thickness, low moisture, easy to split and lots of btu content.
For as much black locust as there is here I havn't scored any yet, on the prowl for it though :msp_thumbsup:

 

[Sagetown]

Hedgerow; alright, here are some pics of what is locally called Black Locust. All 4 of these are the same variety... W/O the folage it'll be hard to tell just what they are.

 

[Woodcutteranon]

Let me begin by saying...I don't know what I am talking about!! So if someone can prove me wrong, I would be greatful for the insight. I had always thought that black locust was very thorny and honey locust was not quite as thorny. Below are some pics I took of what I believe to be a honey locust. Its heart wood apears to be, well, honey colored. My stuff looks different from the OP which makes me wonder if his is black locust...but again...I don't know for sure my self. Either way, I thought I would add this to the thread.

I will also add that this locust was a bear to split. Noodling was my only option.

 

[Hedgerow]

Hedgerow; alright, here are some pics of what is locally called Black Locust. All 4 of these are the same variety... W/O the folage it'll be hard to tell just what they are.

All I can say about those pics is they "Could" be black locust. As far as what Osage cut, absolutely Honey Locust... No mistaking... look at the pink wood. Here's another pic of rounds of Honey locust.

 

[Mowingman]

I hate Honey Locust. I spent nearly 2 years on a contract to clear 1000 acres of ranchland. It had big areas that were thick with Honey Locust trees. These were the variety that have huge clusters of big meedles all over the trunk and limbs at like 12" spacing. The photos posted above, have almost no needles compared to those nasty trees I was working with. The needles would poke clear through the thick soles of heavy work boots.
I can not imagine trying to cut that stuff for firewood. I would be a bloody mess in 30 minutes.
Jeff

 

[sawinredneck]

Let me begin by saying...I don't know what I am talking about!! So if someone can prove me wrong, I would be greatful for the insight. I had always thought that black locust was very thorny and honey locust was not quite as thorny. Below are some pics I took of what I believe to be a honey locust. Its heart wood apears to be, well, honey colored. My stuff looks different from the OP which makes me wonder if his is black locust...but again...I don't know for sure my self. Either way, I thought I would add this to the thread.

I will also add that this locust was a bear to split. Noodling was my only option.

The first two pics look like Elm to me, nasty twisted grainy stuff! I've no clue what is in the third pic, but it's not the same as the first two as far as I can tell.

 

[daleeper]

The first two pics look like Elm to me, nasty twisted grainy stuff! I've no clue what is in the third pic, but it's not the same as the first two as far as I can tell.

What I'm calling honey locust will remind you of elm when splitting.

 

[ks_osage_orange]

woodcutteranon, it looks to me like you may have the names backwards (IMO). From what I have learned on AS the pics you posted are more likely Black Locust. I do know that Black locust has that yellow colored wood. While Honey locust has a pink heartwood and some of them (not all) have large and nasty thorns.

Sagetown, I'm stumped on yours, but I don't mind doing a litttle research. The thorns on the twigs are what have me perplexed, they don't look quite like the thorns of the black locust that I have in a wood ID book I use. But I realize that a book can't show individual differences that people can find in the same species of tree. I'll keep looking.

 

[sawinredneck]

Honey Locust has a smooth bark that looks like it is peeling off: The Honey Locust – My Favorite Tree

That isn't Honey Locust!

 

[TMFARM 2009]

Let me begin by saying...I don't know what I am talking about!! So if someone can prove me wrong, I would be greatful for the insight. I had always thought that black locust was very thorny and honey locust was not quite as thorny. Below are some pics I took of what I believe to be a honey locust. Its heart wood apears to be, well, honey colored. My stuff looks different from the OP which makes me wonder if his is black locust...but again...I don't know for sure my self. Either way, I thought I would add this to the thread.

I will also add that this locust was a bear to split. Noodling was my only option.

that looks like the type of hedge we have here....
the middle one looks like ash to me..

 

[Woodcutteranon]

Let me begin by saying...I don't know what I am talking about!! So if someone can prove me wrong, I would be greatful for the insight. I had always thought that black locust was very thorny and honey locust was not quite as thorny. Below are some pics I took of what I believe to be a honey locust. Its heart wood apears to be, well, honey colored. My stuff looks different from the OP which makes me wonder if his is black locust...but again...I don't know for sure my self. Either way, I thought I would add this to the thread.

I will also add that this locust was a bear to split. Noodling was my only option.

Just for clarification, all the logs from the three pictures above are from the same tree. That I know because I was the one that cut, lugged and stacked. It is a locust...I saw the seed pods on its branches. Just not sure if we want to classify it as black or honey.

 

[StreamFisher]

Honey Locust most often has large clusters of thorns all along its trunk. I've never seen Black Locust with thorns along its trunk. The Black Locusts around here are virtually thornless except some with two small thorns before the leafs.

I burned mainly black locust all winter in my shop/garage. It was around 10 to 11 months since cut and split. Most of it was nice and dry with little smoke coming from the chimney. I think the key is keeping it dry from rain. The bark seems to soak in rain water and hold it forever. I didn't have room for all of it in my small woodshed. What was left uncovered was still too wet to burn this season.

 

[treeguyinoh]

OK first time posting pics, I hope this works. Honey locust, outstanding firewood, barn flooring, fencepost, tough as nails and almost weather impervious. Heres a few pics of a couple of pieces i had at the house. I am currently doing a clearing job with 40-50 +/- 24" DBH honey locust on it. Thorns get much bigger than these, are always needle sharp, and seem to carry some kind of poision on them. Sometimes they will cover 90% of the trunk to about 10 ft. I hope these pictures show up.

 

[ks_osage_orange]

Honey Locust has a smooth bark that looks like it is peeling off: The Honey Locust – My Favorite Tree

That isn't Honey Locust!

Are you referring to my OP or woodcutteranon's pics? My OP pics are definately Honey Locust. And matches your link. If you are referring to woodcutteranon's pics then I agree with you that is not Honey locust, and must be some type of Black locust.

Treeguyinoh - agreed that's Honey locust, that is what I got into yesterday.

 

[brewmonster]

Hedgerow; alright, here are some pics of what is locally called Black Locust. All 4 of these are the same variety... W/O the folage it'll be hard to tell just what they are.

Could these be a species of Aralia? Maybe Aralia spinosa? It goes by many common names, such as devil's walking stick, hercules' club, prickly ash, etc.

 

[turnkey4099]

All I can say about those pics is they "Could" be black locust. As far as what Osage cut, absolutely Honey Locust... No mistaking... look at the pink wood. Here's another pic of rounds of Honey locust.

The bark looks like B. Locust but the tops clearly are not. His reference to punky and poor burning also rules out B Locust.

Harry K

 

[indiansprings]

I would rather take an azz whooping than cut honey locust. Can't use the tractor because it'll ruin tractor tires in a heart beat. We girdle them and wait a couple years the thorns will usually fall off as they die. We treat the stumps with tordon. Will only cut them if we have to or hired to cut one or two off of a place, won't even consider messing with them most of the time. Just isn't worth the time and aggravation. The thorns will cause infection due to some toxin they produce.

 

[Mowingman]

Yes, these photos are the nasty type of Honey Locust we have around here.
Jeff

OK first time posting pics, I hope this works. Honey locust, outstanding firewood, barn flooring, fencepost, tough as nails and almost weather impervious. Heres a few pics of a couple of pieces i had at the house. I am currently doing a clearing job with 40-50 +/- 24" DBH honey locust on it. Thorns get much bigger than these, are always needle sharp, and seem to carry some kind of poision on them. Sometimes they will cover 90% of the trunk to about 10 ft. I hope these pictures show up.