Good morning and first post! Before we get to far, I am not a plant lingo expert. Probably gonna call things the wrong term. Always happy to learn the correct terminology if you think you can help!
I have two tree sprouts in my backyard. Not planted by me. I plan to rip them out but for now I am just trimming them to look nice(r), as they reassemble bushes at the moment.
While appearing identical, one has these MASSIVE barbs. Extremely sharp. Pierce right through my gloves. Barbs appeared to get at least one inch long, and were spaced about every two-three inches. Newer ones were green. Mature ones were red.
Both of these sprouts grow from what reassembles a stump or some sort of root that was cut flat by previous owner.
Region is eastern Missouri, USA.
I have not lived here long enough to know about cold hardness or otherwise.
by Ascend_Hyperion
7 Comments
Gleditsia triacanthos, honey locust
As soon as I saw the thorns I knew it was Honey Locust. Those things are pretty nasty to get poked by, but I think they’re beautiful trees. This one is native.
Be very careful handling those. It looks very much like honey locust, but on the offchance its Black locust, the thorns can kill you. Not kidding.
Famous Wright Brothers story – Orville’s panic at their Flyer III heading for a honey locust tree, gave them a clue to finally solve the last problem they faced in perfecting the world’s first practical airplane.
The Wright Brothers’ third ‘flyer’ was not yet under satisfactory control. The plane’s tendency to “turn over sidewise” in turns baffled them. One flight in September 1905 had the plane heading for a honey locust tree. Orville, “not relishing the idea of landing in a thorn tree,” frantically tried to bring the plane to the ground, whence the plane righted itself and continued on but not without striking the tree, the thorns impaling a wing & breaking and carrying off a branch.
They realized the inner wing was stalling in turns, and to keep control, they should cause the plane to descend some in turns so as to maintain airspeed. The flights thenceforth rapidly increased in duration and distance covered. They had succeeded, developing the first practical airplane.
My neighbor had 2 enormous black locust trees just over the fence. Both fell on my house during Hurricane Helene. Now the absent trees are shooting runners dozens of feet away and there are always like 20 little 1’ tall locust trees in my yard every 2 weeks before I mow the lawn. Cool trees, wonderful wood, but they are relentless at trying to destroy me.
I was at National Guard summer camp during the 70’s at Camp Chaffee in western Arkansas. I remember vividly a locust tree by where we had our tent set up during that days fire missions, the trunk was literally covered with so many thorns that you could not see the bark of the tree. The thorns were 3-5” long with branching thorns coming out half way down with a thorn diameter of 1/4-3/8” and a reddish color. Most evil looking tree I have ever seen. Looked like something the devil would plant to torment someone doomed to climb it for eternity.
I’ve read that while Honey Locust has moderate rot resistance, Black Locust is among the most rot-resistant types of wood of all. Apparently there are documented cases of untreated Black Locust fence posts lasting over 100 years, which is insane. I read that the colonists prized the wood for that very reason.