'ship mast locust

[Norm]

It is similar in appearance and workability to red oak woodsteach. Also the jacket boards where the thorns are thickest have an interesting pattern that looks like cat paw prints on them.

[tyb525]

It is my favorite wood by far. It turns a beautiful orange/pink when finish is applied. It's harder than red oak IMO.

[Holmes]

 Norm .. The first picture looks like some of Jim Kings monkeys looking out thru the wood..  Holmes

[Norm]

It would make a good Rorschach test wouldn't it Holmes. 

The only problem I have with the lumber is bugs love the sapwood.

[bruce hare]

amen on the monkeys holmes

[Warren]

[ The thorns themselves branch and can be 6 inches long and occur anywhere on the stem, even the trunk.

Also occur quite often in tractor and truck tires after driving close to one.
[/quote]

Amen !

[Left Coast Chris]

We had one at our old house.  The wooden thorns were on the trunk and many of the limbs.  Very dense wood and nice color.  Too bad I did not have my sawmill back at that time.  It went into firewood.   I got a minor stab that was unusally sore for several days.  I was scared I would get one through the boot but thankfully that did not happen.

[jon12345]

The thorns stabbing you and causing irritation might be environmental and not species specific. Sounds like the same kind of reaction I get from wild rose or crab apple? 

[tyb525]

They irritate me too, but other pricks from other plants don't nearly as much.

[Ron Scott]

Yes, they are painful.

[Left Coast Chris]

Ever get a puncture wound from galvanized steel or wire?  It stays sore longer than normal.  Thats what my Honey Locust thorn puncture did.

[timerover51]

hi new to forum  i was told years ago that locust  was not native too north  america . rather it was brought here from england. i find it interesting  how  you will offen see it growing near old cellar wholes. arround here its usually quite crooked.

Both the Black and the Honey Locust are native to North America, and were transplanted to Europe.

[SwampDonkey]

A lot of black locusts planted in towns and old farmsteads up here in the last century. Also very common was the bristly locust, which is not very frost hardy in my area, but they have been here at old places for at least a century. They'll get so big, die and sprout suckers like an aspen tree and start over. The old timers called them acacia trees.

[WDH]

Pseudoacacia ;D.

[SwampDonkey]

Yeah, but it was the bristly locust they called acacia. They never heard tell of latin names, that was for the parish priest. Linneus or what's his name.  ;) :D

[WDH]

Must have been Dendroctonus linneus  ;D.