Noticed this tree today and it was covered in spiky patches. No other tree on the street had anything like it. What the hell is going on and why is it happening?
That’s one is a honey locust. SN: Gleditsia triacanthos. It is a popular street tree as the leaflets are very small and easy to clean up. Most cities use the thornless cultivar but that is not guaranteed after planting.
Fun fact, the thorns only go up to about 4 meters. A popular theory for that reason is that ice age megafauna kept trying to eat the trees so the thorns were a deterrent.
FreidasBoss
I believe that’s Honey Locust. You typically don’t see the thorn variety in urban areas though. Who ever planted that was feeling devious, it just thought it was a thornless variety.
banner8915
Honey Locust *Gleditsia triacanthos*. The thornless variety is a popular tree, but I’ve never seen one with thorns planted as a street tree like this, only in native stands in the woods.
This is totally normal for the tree just unusual to intentionally plant in an urban setting. It was probably planted by mistake and they thought they were planting a thornless variety.
iamabigmeme
I wanna say it looks like epicormic growth. It’s usually a stress response so the tree basically goes into overdrive to try and sustain itself by rapidly creating new growth
BeerGeek2point0
As others have said it is a honeylocust. But it was planted as a thornless variety and reverted to its natural state, due to some stress event. I’ve seen it happen many times
ghostmaloned
Nursery mistake, city ordered a honey locust cultivar without spikes. Either that or it was a replacement and a landscaper mistake.
Joe_B_Likes_Tacos
I have a Honey Locust that grew naturally in my yard, but it is not the thorned variety. I’m always jealous when I see one with thorns.
Alfeaux
One word. Dinosaurs.
ArborealLife
It just wants a hug bro..
kwestions00
What? Honey locust
Why? Because fuck you, your shoes, and your tires.
Critical_Koala0383
JayTeeDeeUnderscore
What: honey locust
Why: someone got the wrong cultivar
Why: thornless hybrids are suitable for plantings, the thorned originals belong in the wild.
Why: Pleistocene megafauna (giant sloths, wooly mammoth, etc). The thorns protected the trunk bark, limbs and foliage from herbivores but the seed pods hung below limbs. Critters ate the seed pods and spread seeds afar in their droppings. Fun fact: germination rate of honey locust (thorned variety) seeds planted in soil is exceptionally low–single digits. Soak said seeds in strong acid for 24+ hours and germination soars to 90-ish %. The seeds evolved to travel through megafauna guts to be primed for growth.
*(That being said, make sure it’s a honey locust and don’t die as always)
WilcoHistBuff
I have personal nightmares about removal of a dead Hawthorn (another very thorny tree) once 20 years ago. After managing to avoid puncture wounds all day I made one stupid move and ended up with two inches of thorn in a forearm (penetrated a canvas Carhartt jacket).
The problem with Hawthorn thorns is that they are just as long but really skinny (and strong) so they are extra good at penetrating protective gear.
Unban_thx
Ancient giant sloths are the why
flannel_hoodie
<<THIS SEASON ON STRANGER THINGS>>
Leakyboatlouie
Looks like an Ent that had an encounter with a porcupine.
TarzanOnATireSwing
Honey Locust. To protect from sloth bears.
an-unorthodox-agenda
It’s a honey locust, and the thorns are there to prevent giant ground sloths from eating the beans. Which works great
21 Comments
That’s one is a honey locust. SN: Gleditsia triacanthos. It is a popular street tree as the leaflets are very small and easy to clean up. Most cities use the thornless cultivar but that is not guaranteed after planting.
Fun fact, the thorns only go up to about 4 meters. A popular theory for that reason is that ice age megafauna kept trying to eat the trees so the thorns were a deterrent.
I believe that’s Honey Locust. You typically don’t see the thorn variety in urban areas though. Who ever planted that was feeling devious, it just thought it was a thornless variety.
Honey Locust *Gleditsia triacanthos*. The thornless variety is a popular tree, but I’ve never seen one with thorns planted as a street tree like this, only in native stands in the woods.
This is totally normal for the tree just unusual to intentionally plant in an urban setting. It was probably planted by mistake and they thought they were planting a thornless variety.
I wanna say it looks like epicormic growth. It’s usually a stress response so the tree basically goes into overdrive to try and sustain itself by rapidly creating new growth
As others have said it is a honeylocust. But it was planted as a thornless variety and reverted to its natural state, due to some stress event. I’ve seen it happen many times
Nursery mistake, city ordered a honey locust cultivar without spikes. Either that or it was a replacement and a landscaper mistake.
I have a Honey Locust that grew naturally in my yard, but it is not the thorned variety. I’m always jealous when I see one with thorns.
One word. Dinosaurs.
It just wants a hug bro..
What? Honey locust
Why? Because fuck you, your shoes, and your tires.
What: honey locust
Why: someone got the wrong cultivar
Why: thornless hybrids are suitable for plantings, the thorned originals belong in the wild.
Why: Pleistocene megafauna (giant sloths, wooly mammoth, etc). The thorns protected the trunk bark, limbs and foliage from herbivores but the seed pods hung below limbs. Critters ate the seed pods and spread seeds afar in their droppings. Fun fact: germination rate of honey locust (thorned variety) seeds planted in soil is exceptionally low–single digits. Soak said seeds in strong acid for 24+ hours and germination soars to 90-ish %. The seeds evolved to travel through megafauna guts to be primed for growth.
Why? Giant sloths, I think?
Mega fauna protection. Millions of years ago
[IT’S A HONEY LOCUST, YOU CAN EAT THE BEANS!](https://youtube.com/shorts/TpcGzMjVb4E?si=tZwR8CbjRB0NDDPG)*
*(That being said, make sure it’s a honey locust and don’t die as always)
I have personal nightmares about removal of a dead Hawthorn (another very thorny tree) once 20 years ago. After managing to avoid puncture wounds all day I made one stupid move and ended up with two inches of thorn in a forearm (penetrated a canvas Carhartt jacket).
The problem with Hawthorn thorns is that they are just as long but really skinny (and strong) so they are extra good at penetrating protective gear.
Ancient giant sloths are the why
<<THIS SEASON ON STRANGER THINGS>>
Looks like an Ent that had an encounter with a porcupine.
Honey Locust. To protect from sloth bears.
It’s a honey locust, and the thorns are there to prevent giant ground sloths from eating the beans. Which works great