The Honey Locust tree.

Worth1 · October 22, 2008

The Honey Locust tree.

I was at Home Depot the other day and they had these trees for sale.
Nothing on the label did they say anything about the thorns.
these things have huge thorns,we had one growing on our place and it was horrible.
Kids would see the big old tree and start to clime it and to their horror they would see the thorns too late and get impaled by them.

No way would I want one of these trees in my yard for shade as Home Depot described them as a nice shade tree.
here is a picture of the thorns.
Worth

Medbury Gardens · October 22, 2008

Were they in the home security department??

Zana · October 22, 2008

I have been trying to identify similar trees in the backyard here, this summer, Worth. Nasty thorns. They grow up like weeds - from seedling to 6'+ in less than 3 years. I think I've dug out 6 stumps, after cutting back the trees, over the past summer. And there are still more. We never planted them, so have a feeling the dang birds dropped the seeds.

I suppose the thorns are good for something. While I was working in the garden, I used to get birds sitting on the thorns all around me. The birds were used to me puttering about, and I could work on the flower beds below those trees without the birds taking flight. Go figure.

I did find one bird that impaled itself on a large thorn in the spring, but I'm not sure if it just didn't see it or there was another reason it flew into it.

Zana

Tormato · October 27, 2008

Worth,

The hybrids are thornless.

Gary

PaulF · October 27, 2008

Like almost everything else in Texas, those honey locusts trees and their thorns are a lot bigger than anything we have around here. Honey Locusts here are considered a weed tree and even the State Forester when he did an assessment of my woods, suggested I cut down all the Honey Locusts. All mine are at least a third the size of the photo and the thorns are no more than an inch long.

OmahaJB · October 27, 2008

Interesting looking tree, but I can see how someone could easily hurt themselves walking by it if they're not careful. Might poke out an eye or something.

I have an interest in growing trees in containers and was searching the internet for the "most beautiful trees" to see what I might enjoy growing. I didn't find a list but I did come across the Kapok tree which someone was claiming was voted as one of the 5 most beautiful trees in the world. It also has spines on the trunk. Although the one I saw a picture of did not have any. It was a large spreading tree that they say grows quickly. Also an interesting tree specimen.

Jeff

October 22, 2008	#1
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	The Honey Locust tree. The Honey Locust tree. I was at Home Depot the other day and they had these trees for sale. Nothing on the label did they say anything about the thorns. these things have huge thorns,we had one growing on our place and it was horrible. Kids would see the big old tree and start to clime it and to their horror they would see the thorns too late and get impaled by them. No way would I want one of these trees in my yard for shade as Home Depot described them as a nice shade tree. here is a picture of the thorns. Worth

October 27, 2008	#5
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,294	Like almost everything else in Texas, those honey locusts trees and their thorns are a lot bigger than anything we have around here. Honey Locusts here are considered a weed tree and even the State Forester when he did an assessment of my woods, suggested I cut down all the Honey Locusts. All mine are at least a third the size of the photo and the thorns are no more than an inch long. __________________ there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes.

October 22, 2008	#2
Medbury Gardens Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Medbury, New Zealand Posts: 1,881	Were they in the home security department??

October 22, 2008	#3
Zana Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Southwestern Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,521	I have been trying to identify similar trees in the backyard here, this summer, Worth. Nasty thorns. They grow up like weeds - from seedling to 6'+ in less than 3 years. I think I've dug out 6 stumps, after cutting back the trees, over the past summer. And there are still more. We never planted them, so have a feeling the dang birds dropped the seeds. I suppose the thorns are good for something. While I was working in the garden, I used to get birds sitting on the thorns all around me. The birds were used to me puttering about, and I could work on the flower beds below those trees without the birds taking flight. Go figure. I did find one bird that impaled itself on a large thorn in the spring, but I'm not sure if it just didn't see it or there was another reason it flew into it. Zana

October 27, 2008	#4
Tormato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MA Posts: 4,971	Worth, The hybrids are thornless. Gary

October 27, 2008	#6
OmahaJB Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Toledo, OH Posts: 1,821	Interesting looking tree, but I can see how someone could easily hurt themselves walking by it if they're not careful. Might poke out an eye or something. I have an interest in growing trees in containers and was searching the internet for the "most beautiful trees" to see what I might enjoy growing. I didn't find a list but I did come across the Kapok tree which someone was claiming was voted as one of the 5 most beautiful trees in the world. It also has spines on the trunk. Although the one I saw a picture of did not have any. It was a large spreading tree that they say grows quickly. Also an interesting tree specimen. Jeff