Honey locust tree

What are honey locust trees good for?
Is a honey locust tree a good tree?
Are honey locust trees invasive?
Do honey locust trees grow fast?
How can you tell a honey locust?
Is a honey locust tree poisonous?
Do honey locust trees have deep roots?
Can you eat honey locust pods?
How do you kill a honey locust tree?
What is the lifespan of a locust tree?
How do you stop a locust tree from spreading?

What are honey locust trees good for?

Today, the honey locust has a number of applications: its fruit is used in agriculture to feed livestock; its dense wood is used to make furniture and fences; and its unique compounds may have medicinal uses for treating diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and cancer.

Is a honey locust tree a good tree?

But don't be afraid of its anti-social attitude, for the honey locust is a very pretty and useful tree that is commonly planted as an ornamental. ... The honey locust is a very fast grower, and commonly reaches heights of around 70 to 100 feet.

Are honey locust trees invasive?

The common honey locust, or thorny locust (Gleditsia triacanthos), of North America is a popular ornamental plant, though it is an aggressive invasive species in some areas outside its native range. The tree grows to about 40 metres (about 130 feet) high but is generally lower under cultivation.

Do honey locust trees grow fast?

This tree grows at a fast rate, with height increases of more than 24" per year.

How can you tell a honey locust?

Honey locust trees have a short or arched main trunk shape, and the branches and stems grow off it in zig-zag formation like that of the black locust tree. So although the growth patterns are similar, if the trunk of a tree you are working to identify is arched, that tree must be a honey locust tree.

Is a honey locust tree poisonous?

Honey locust and carob trees are classified as nontoxic to dogs, while black locust and other Robinia species are specified as poisonous by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Do honey locust trees have deep roots?

Honey locusts have strong, deep taproots that extend as far as 20 feet down as opposed to most trees, which only extend 3 to 7 feet beneath the surface However, unlike the classic tap root system, honey locust trees also have profusely branching roots, as is characteristic of heart root systems.

Can you eat honey locust pods?

The pulp on the inside of the pods is edible (unlike the black locust, which is toxic) and consumed by wildlife and livestock. Despite its name, the honey locust is not a significant honey plant.

How do you kill a honey locust tree?

Herbicides -- When applied to a hole drilled in the stump of a recently felled honey locust, the herbicides picloram and triclopyr will quickly and efficiently kill the tree. These herbicides can also be painted onto the bark at the base of young trees to kill them, although this is largely ineffective on older trees.

What is the lifespan of a locust tree?

The honey locust, Gleditsia triacanthos, can reach a height of 20–30 m (66–98 ft), with fast growth, and is relatively short-lived, having a life span of about 120 years. The leaves are pinnately compound on older trees but bipinnately compound on vigorous young trees.

How do you stop a locust tree from spreading?

One method of honey locust control and black locust control is to cut back the trees every growing season. Cut both new stems and new growth—you likely will need to repeat this step several times over the years. Spreading hay over the area could help prevent new trees from sprouting.