Black Locust Question

[makomakoman]

I've noticed that I have a few of those tree's on my property. Very flowerly in the Spring, but I have never seen the pods on them.

For those who have them, do you have the pods normally on your trees?

Just curious...

thanks

 

[indiansprings]

Ours have the pods as well as the long nasty thorns. A real pita to deal with.
We try to keep all of them cut down on out property, as soon as we can tell it's a locust or a wild cherry it gets clipped and the tordon rtu goes on to kill the roots. I have one big one left to deal with in a fence row. I dread messing with it.

 

[banshee67]

Ours have the pods as well as the long nasty thorns. A real pita to deal with.
We try to keep all of them cut down on out property, as soon as we can tell it's a locust or a wild cherry it gets clipped and the tordon rtu goes on to kill the roots. I have one big one left to deal with in a fence row. I dread messing with it.

why the wild cherries too?

 

[TreePointer]

Pods every year. No thorns on the mature black locust here, though.

 

[indiansprings]

With livestock, the wild cherries pose a posioning hazard. When the leaves wilt on a wild cherry and cattle eat them it will posion and kill the cow. We just keep them cut so we don't have to worry about high wind breaking off a branch and cattle getting to it.

 

[makomakoman]

Never seen a thorn either even the small one. I gotta get my id book out again to verify...

 

[indiansprings]

It may be regional terminology, here in the part of Missouri I live in we just refer to them as black locust at least that's all I've heard them called since I was a kid many moons ago. Our locust are covered with long thorns all over the tree and limbs, razor sharp, you'll see thorns three inches long. They are one mean tree to deal with, will flatten tires in a heartbeat and pierce skin like a needle.

 

[hoyt38]

I have called the locus trees with the thorns "Honey Locus". Not sure if that is correct but thats what my dad always called them.
I have no idea what a black locus is, which would not suprise any one who knows me.

 

[TreePointer]

It may be regional terminology, here in the part of Missouri I live in we just refer to them as black locust at least that's all I've heard them called since I was a kid many moons ago. Our locust are covered with long thorns all over the tree and limbs, razor sharp, you'll see thorns three inches long. They are one mean tree to deal with, will flatten tires in a heartbeat and pierce skin like a needle.

Sounds like honey locust. What we call "black locust" here has rougher and more furrowed bark, smaller thorns (not in clusters), and smaller seed pods.

 

[turnkey4099]

It may be regional terminology, here in the part of Missouri I live in we just refer to them as black locust at least that's all I've heard them called since I was a kid many moons ago. Our locust are covered with long thorns all over the tree and limbs, razor sharp, you'll see thorns three inches long. They are one mean tree to deal with, will flatten tires in a heartbeat and pierce skin like a needle.

That is Honey Locust. Quite a different animal fromthe Black. Black only has small thornes and only on 1-2 year old wood. Did an old dead one this morning and first thing out of the gate put on of those mini thorns in my thumb.

Harry K

 

[bluestem]

Here are some pictures to clear up any confusion about particular Locust trees:
Here is a photo of Black Locust bark:

This is Honey Locust bark:

Here are thorns of the Honey Locust which the Black Locust doesn't have:

And here is a comparison of the seed pods of both with Black Locust pods on the left and Honey Locust pods on the right:

 

[Jimfound]

Good info bluestem. The honey vs. Black locust issue seems to come up a lot around here. I have a plenty of what I think is honey locust on my property (confirmed by your pics). Those things are weeds around here. particularly along the fence lines. Thanks.

Can anyone (by anyone I mean Harrk K or turnkey : ) ) tell me the difference between black and honey in terms of other charecteristics...i.e. how do they burn in comparison, and I always heard Black Locust was used for railroad ties, fenceposts and even ship prows back in the day because it would not rot. Is that true with honey locust as well? Thanks. Sorry don't mean to hijack your thread.

 

[turnkey4099]

Good info bluestem. The honey vs. Black locust issue seems to come up a lot around here. I have a plenty of what I think is honey locust on my property (confirmed by your pics). Those things are weeds around here. particularly along the fence lines. Thanks.

Can anyone (by anyone I mean Harrk K or turnkey : ) ) tell me the difference between black and honey in terms of other charecteristics...i.e. how do they burn in comparison, and I always heard Black Locust was used for railroad ties, fenceposts and even ship prows back in the day because it would not rot. Is that true with honey locust as well? Thanks. Sorry don't mean to hijack your thread.

I can't help much with Honey Locust, haven't run into any yet...well except for one "Thornless Honey Locust" of abatch I planted over 20 years ago. One of them developed those wicked thorns. Met its fate the day after I saw them.

Yes, Black Locust is noted for not rotting and is one of the top 4 firewod species on any list. Per what I have seen on this forum, H Locust seems to be just as good firewod - dunno about its rotting resistance.

Harry K

 

[AIM]

Honey Locust is what i consider to be the BEST firewood around other than the long seasoning time.
I've not had the chance to burn Black locust.

 

[banshee67]

With livestock, the wild cherries pose a posioning hazard. When the leaves wilt on a wild cherry and cattle eat them it will posion and kill the cow. We just keep them cut so we don't have to worry about high wind breaking off a branch and cattle getting to it.

wow, i had no clue, thanks for the info!

so are wild cherries what they call "choke cherries"
i remember my old boss and me taking out a whole row of smaller , what he called "choke cherries" on a ladies horse farm because he said they were bad for the animals?

(sorry to hijack)

 

[3fordasho]

Lucked into a large hybrid honey locust (thornless variety) just a few blocks from my house (one of my better craigslist scores). Have had it split and stacked for a year and I don't think its quite ready to burn, but it should be ok for 2010/11. Split nice, still has good density and weight with a year of seasoning. There is plenty of the thornless variety called "sunburst" planted in peoples yards, I've got two myself. One out front has grown very quickly, the one in the back not so much (more shaded). Not sure how the rot resistance compares between black and honey. Have not burned enough of either to make a comparison here either.

Can anyone (by anyone I mean Harrk K or turnkey : ) ) tell me the difference between black and honey in terms of other charecteristics...i.e. how do they burn in comparison, and I always heard Black Locust was used for railroad ties, fenceposts and even ship prows back in the day because it would not rot. Is that true with honey locust as well? Thanks. Sorry don't mean to hijack your thread.

 

[dean06919]

wow, i had no clue, thanks for the info!

so are wild cherries what they call "choke cherries"
i remember my old boss and me taking out a whole row of smaller , what he called "choke cherries" on a ladies horse farm because he said they were bad for the animals?

(sorry to hijack)

No, two different species.

Wild black cherry is a medium size to large tree, growing 50-85 feet with a truck size usually in the range of 12-24 inches. The leaves are about 6-12 cm long and slender, with rough bark on mature trees. Choke cherries are considered a tall shrub or small tree, growing 10-30 feet in height, with a trunk diameter in the range of 4-6 inches. The leaves are 5-10 cm long and somewhat wider than black cherry and have smoother bark than black cherry.

Michigan records: black cherry, Van Buren Co., girth: 23.8 feet, diameter: 91 inches, height: 114 feet. Choke cherry, Wayne Co., girth: 86 inches, diameter: 27 inches, height: 73 feet.

Just learned this information last week in my tree and plant identification class.

 

[TreePointer]

Yeah, the leaves of both the black cherry tree (Prunus serotina) and chokecherry leaves (Prunus virginiana) can form a cyanide compound.

 

[Jimfound]

Yeah, the leaves of both the black cherry tree (Prunus serotina) and chokecherry leaves (Prunus virginiana) can form a cyanide compound.

Yep. my wife makes me cut all the cherry down along the fence linces in-or- near the horse paddock.

 

[IcePick]

I took down four large black locust last weekend and put "free wood" on craigslist. I must have gotten thirty responses in a day, it's a highly sought after wood to burn.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but up here in Wisconsin, honey locust does not have thorns. Black locust does, but not the older more mature black locust, like the ones I took down.