Is a Honey Locust Worth the Time and Effort?

[Frank_B]

I have a large honey locust that dropped all its leaves this summer and is apparently done for.  I'd estimate it at about 36"+ dbh, and well over 25' of straight trunk.  Is this tree worth the effort of removing it from the woods?  It isn't too far from an unimproved road.  Any opinions would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Frank

[IL Bull]

The wood is very pretty and is about the color of cherry.  It has little pin knots where the thorns were.  Almost like a rosett (is that a word?).  I would not let it stand for long because the wood wasp likes it too.

[Ron Wenrich]

I've sawn a few that were thornless.  They didn't have any pin knots and it has a nice grain.  It also glows under UV light. 

[WH_Conley]

Ron, I have 4 logs of a tree that a guy gave me. Said they were honey locust, no thorns. Didn't know there was such thing, didn't have time to check really. Any particulars you can give on this thing.

[Kcwoodbutcher]

The thornless "honey locust" is more likely black locust, the glowing under UV light is a stong hint. I like to let them stand dead for a year as this reduces the problems this wood has in the drying process.

[Ron Wenrich]

Honey locust is gletditsia triacanthose and black locust is [robinia pseudoacacia/i].  They aren't that closely related.  The honey locust and the Kentucky coffee tree are closer.  The photoluminescence is a factor for all 3 species.

We only see honey locust as an introduced species.  It used to be planted around cattle pastures to produce both shade and feed from the seed pods.  Thornless variaties were developed more for the landscaping value of the tree.  You don't want to back into those thorns.   ;)

[Patty]

We have harvested several honey locust. I think the wood has very nice grain, sort of like red oak. The thorned ones do have the little rosettes pattern where the thorns were, they sort of look like cat paw prints, but I have noticed that they seem to fade over the years. If you don't saw them up right away the bugs will devour them quickly, as it seems to be one of their favorites. They will get punky real fast when left on the ground.


Be careful of the thorns. 

[Frank_B]

Thanks for the input.  This is definately a honey locust - thorns and all.  The black locust has rather distinctive and deep furrows in the bark.

This tree is right next to a creek in a stand of oaks and hickory.  A good sized T-storm came through last year and blew down a big old oak that was next to it, that probably caused the demise of the locust tree.  I'll likely need to enlist the aid of a professional to get it down, as it is bigger than anything I've felled before.  I'm strictly a weekend woodsman with only a chainsaw for cutting firewood - I have no tractor or skid steer to pull a log that size out of the woods.

Kcwoodbutcher - Considering your comment, it looks like there's no real rush, as the tree died off this year...  But I must add that the termites and other bugs are thick in the woods, expecially carpenter ants.

Anyone care to come help for a cut of the lumber?   :D

[urbanlumberinc]

I'd be there in a hurry (if you lived down the street).  I get a lot of Honeylocust around here, the trees over 20"dbh usually have thorns, those under 20" usually dont.  I wondered why this was, and was told by an arborist friend that the thorns had been genetically bred out of them by the late sixties early seventies.  A word to the wise, if you bury one of those thorns in your hand or thigh, go to the emergency room and have the wound flushed.  I got stuck through the hand a few years back and didn't go to the hospital until the wound got all infected.  3 mos of antibiotics and the hand was fit to use again.