Story goes that a black locust fence post will wear out two post holes. Honey Locust has large branching thorns, whereas Black Locust has individual spines, typically at the base of leaves. The wood is naturally rot-, decay-, mildew-, and insect-resistant — the perfect choice for outdoor projects in all climates. It' makes some really good mead I know this is a thread about burning wood so please just humor this former beekeeper that loved it when the hives were just right for the black locust bloom. In bulk, it’s $5.44 per square foot, while ipe is more than $7 per square foot. Honey locust tree … This is due to its beauty, durability of 50+ years, and certifiable sustainability. The wood of the Black Locust is noted for toughness, dura bility, and great torsional strength. Both are ring porous. Both are considered heavy hard and strong (duh!) The clearest difference between Black Locust and Honey Locust is the difference in their thorns. But it’s worth it: Beyond the sustainability benefits, black locust is also cost-effective. The mallet dried well and didn't split or check. It is a very dense hardwood that puts out a lot of heat and a very long burn. Fighting decay, it outlasts white oak. Does it matter if I use softwood or hardwood? If you can see the radial face of the wood, Farrar says that the wood rays are barely visible in BL, conspicuous in HL. Black locust is florescent under a black light. Neither black locust … Honey locust is highly adaptable to different environments, has been introduced worldwide, and is an aggressive invasive species. Because black locust trees are so hard, the wood can be quite challenging to cut. It grows at a moderately fast rate. Screwbean Mesquite. You have to be careful what time of year a black locust is cut. Janka Hardness Scale. Just like tropical hardwoods, they have natural water-resistant, rot-resistant, and anti-fungal properties. Apr 21, 2012. HL has a darker, smoother bark (similar to that of a young cherry) whereas BL has a light tan colored bark on young trees turning a darker gray and more grooved (hackberryish) as the tree matures. Honey and black locust are very good woods for heating stoves. There are about ten known species of Black locust trees. These are not rules just trends. Osage-orange has long bands of confluent parenchyma whereas black locust and red mulberry do not except for sometimes near the latewood. Seed Pods: Although both trees have seed pods that are shiny, smooth, and thin, they differ in size. Black Locust vs Oak: in 1812 the Americans won the war against the British due to their use of the strongest hardwood material for their fleet. It is often planted as a source of firewood, not only because of its fast growth but because the wood burns very hot. Honey Locust Trees (Gleditsia triacanthos) The Spruce / David Beaulieu. Black locust will NOT decay rapidly after one year, probably not after 20. Black Locust, america's environmentally friendly super tree. Honey bees love it, as do many native pollen bees. Mimosa trees have pink and white blooms that look something like a powder puff or firework, made up of lots of individual straight strand-like petals. It' makes some really good mead I know this is a thread about burning wood so please just humor this former beekeeper that loved it when the hives were just right for the black locust bloom. Locust, Yellow Locust, Black Locust (Robinia Pseudacacia, Linn. Locust trees are a type of fast-growing flowering plant, belonging to the family of plants known as Fabaceae. Black Locust planks. BL has smaller thorns in the twigs by the leaves. These are air dried to 12% moisture content figures. Firewood is not seasoned until the ends turn black and the bark has fallen off. Black locust will have more of a dull yellow/brown tint. The max weight is 50 lbs. The wood is a pale yellowish brown to yellowish green. Black vs Honey Locust … Wood for the project was procured from Horigan Urban Wood Products of Skokie. I, myself, love to heat with them. Black Locust trees have a narrow crown that tends to become bushy as the tree ages. For the honey locust, the wide sapwood bears a pale yellow hue. Black Locust fence posts have been noted to last eighty years in some of America’s toughest climates. Joined Feb 9, 2007. Black locust is florescent under a black light. In fact the Black Locus actually produces more honey than the Honey Locust. Black Locust trenails and wheel-spokes have few, if … Its heartwood is quite a bit darker, with a reddish-brown ranging fro… Honey locust is well known for its sometimes large thorns, which is where its other name, thorny locust, comes from. They are similar in BTU but HL takes longer to dry in my view. Black Locust Tree … Locust vs. Oak. Culture. Many people on YouTube, including some nursery owners (who should know better! This description is clearly the seed pod of a honey locust, Gleditsia triacanthos, not a black locust. I believe it also has a … and decay resistant in contact with the soil. It is often planted as a source of firewood, not only because of its fast growth but because the wood burns very hot. Black Locust trees usually grow to between 12 to 30 meters high, or 40 to 100 feet high. The Black Locust (Robinia pseud acacia), the HoneyLocust (Gleditsia triacanthos), and the Mesquite or Honey Locust (Prosopis juliflora) grow in the United States.' takes 1 yr. to season, a 4″ stick tages 2 years, etc. A black locust, Robinia pseudoacacia has seed pods that are 2.5 to about 5 in long, flat and approximately 1/8 in thick. Now I know you fellow veterans are going to have a hard time believing this but I have a Woodworkers handbook here that shows locust at 4.2 lb/bd ft in density. Firewood will have to be split for best results. In stiffness, it outdoes hickory. Robinia pseudoacacia, commonly known in its native territory as black locust, is a medium-sized hardwood deciduous tree, belonging to the tribe Robinieae of the legume family Fabaceae. Black Locust honey is one of the best hones to make mead from. The black locust tree has bluish green leaves that turn to yellowish green in fall, while honey locust trees are a vivid green in the summer and become completely yellow in the fall. I'm now using this service for all my weird shaped Etsy sales and for larger quantities of wood… Even though the tree grows extremely fast, it still produces tough, dense, heavy firewood. Do honey locust trees produce pods every year? )-A tall, slender tree, 40 to 80 feet high, with erect branches forming an oblong head. All firewood should be obtained, stacked and air dried at least six months prior to burning. It is said to be a natural alternative to chemical treated wood, and can last a lot longer than treated wood. Like Black Locust, Ipe is a beautiful and durable wood that can last a lifetime. Comments: Somewhat similar in appearance to Black Locust, Honey Locust is technically in a different genus, (Robinia and Gleditsia, respectively), and telling the two apart is somewhat similar to separating White and Red Oak—the pores of Black Locust are packed with tyloses, while they are absent in the pores of Honey Locust. A Friendly Alternative. Gleditsia triacanthos, or Honeylocust, can be found growing in woodlands and abandoned fields throughout the state. But, at the time, neither of us were wood workers. Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), as it has come to be called, offers superb qualities. BL has deep furrowed bark, HL is a thinner bark and the wild variety has large thorns on the trunk. there is a thornless var. The honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos), also known as the thorny locust or thorny honeylocust, is a deciduous tree in the family Fabaceae, native to central North America where it is mostly found in the moist soil of river valleys. There’s also a long lead time for landscape architects: 40-50 days until the wood can be used. Aged mulch usually contains softened, crumbling pieces of wood. It grows best in well-drained, moist soil made up of limestone The wood is extremely hard and durable which makes it a favorite for furniture making and flooring. The honey locust’s bark is brown or grey in colour and the tree has  bunches of thorns. Robinia pseudoacacia, commonly known in its native territory as black locust, is a medium-sized hardwood deciduous tree, belonging to the tribe Robinieae of the legume family Fabaceae. Only ever seen it rot in under that time after continuous ground contact. a honey has big, nasty, branched thorns. The wood of the Black Locust is noted for toughness, dura bility, and great torsional strength. Green black locust will probably be over that. We kill the honey locust, coppice the osage orange for firewood and propagate the black locust. Black Locust firewood is incredibly dense, similar in energy density to anthracite coal, and burns hot and long with a low flame. The blooms of mimosa and honey locust trees don’t look at all alike. Use black locust or hedge, they both last a day longer than stone. Black locust is the largest member of the Pea family of plants. Honey locust trees have thorns surrounding the bark whereas a black locust tree has grooves on it that resembles ropes but not thorns. The black locust has smaller thorns. if the energy/mass measurement is used, though, there are plenty of other woods with higher marks. Firewood Usage. Black locust is an excellent choice for firewood. The hot, long lasting fire it produces makes it a popular choice for anyone who heats with wood. It's believed you can burn black locust firewood immediately after cutting down the tree. This belief has mixed results. Hardwoods dry at a rate of 1″ per year under good conditions. Mature Size Although not related to Black locust, Honeylocust belongs to the legume family. Honey locust spines on branches along with flowers. Black vs Honey Locust (Read 8430 times) gobbler74. It grows fast and has a small leafs, the wood is very hard I understand that ship builders use to use it because of it s tough qualities. Black locust is compound, while honey locust is bi-pinately compound as already stated. Black locust... not so much. Although a common misconception is that its wood is strong and durable (pioneers built ships and houses with black locust wood), its branches are actually brittle and damage easily in high winds. The honey locust creates impressive landscapes in otherwise gray, built-up areas. Black Locust vs Honey Locust. Firewood. Mimosa trees have pink and white blooms that look something like a powder puff or firework, made up of lots of individual straight strand-like petals. However, it makes a brilliant source of firewood because its high density means it takes a long time to burn. Ive seen very few thornless blacks. Almost mature Honey Locust pods. Honey Locust is Gleditsia triacanthos. Due to its fast-growing abilities, it can grow as much as 20 feet in the initial few ten years and can go on to reach up to 70 feet. Yellow Locust or Black Locust Tree. The tree grows widely throughout the southeastern United States and Europe. They have a diameter of between 0.60 to 1.2 meters ( 2- 4 feet). It's gorgeous wood and, probably worth the effort to work it. Black locust grows quickly and averages 40-70 feet tall at maturity. #2. Black locust wood is very hard and durable. The leaves on honey locust trees appear slightly earlier than on black locust trees. It is not an easy wood to work with. a black has thorns like a rose bush. They are rapidly growing trees that can grow up to 24 inches (61 cm.) From contributor G: I'm not sure if this is honey locust or black locust. The Black Locust is sometimes called the False Acacia, which is what its species name means in Dead Latin. black locust has very slightly higher energy/volume, while honey locust has very slightly higher energy/mass. Hardness. firewood: call it a draw . of honey which is very common. Janka hardness measurements reflect the number of pounds pressure it takes to press a .444" diameter steel ball, to it's maximum diameter, into a vertical sawn section of wood. A relatively pure locust honey is also high in fructose, nearly clear in color, and that it makes it—like the wood from locust trees—a viable candidate for long-term storage. Honey locust firewood is excellent for burning. It is a very dense hardwood that puts out a lot of heat and a very long burn. for firewood, it is comparable to black locust as far as heat output. It is a wood that can spark and pop so best to have a closed fireplace or wood stove when burning indoors. In mature trees, trunks reach a diameter of up to 1.2 meters. Where the honey locust can get huge thorns, several inches long, and sometimes those thorns get thorns! So what I'm saying is the thorns have thorns on them in honey locust, while black locust thorns dont. The botanic name of the black locust is "Robinia pseudoacacia." Black locust wood is used for everything from timber to flooring, and the thorns of honey locusts for nails. Long Spur Gobbler; Posts: 6250; Re: Wood density? A plentiful renewable resource that is well suited for all outdoor wood uses. Lastly, the wood of both varieties is excellent for woodworking and railroad posts. Honey locust ‘Skyline’ can be grown in USDA zones 3-9. The honey locust, Gleditsia triacanthos, has many more thorns on the bark and the thorns get up to 8" in clusters of three. Honey locust is said to be very good, like 12 to 15 yrs. There is another key consideration that is generally very important to woodworkers and homeowners, and that is the color of the wood. The color of a tree’s wood typically varies depending on the area from which the lumber is cut. A black locust has a rough dark brown bark whereas a honey locust tree has a bark that is gray to brownish colour. Burns like iron, never noticed a great difference in the ash amounts. If you don't want to plant black locust, consider another Robinia species native to your area. Honely locust can make a sweet bow. Heights of 30 to 50 feet and a crown spread of 25 to 35 feet are normal. Black Locust is a safe, environmentally friendly alternative to Pressure Treated and Tropical Hardwoods. Honey locust thorns are much longer and alot of them will have thorns growing out of each side. Is this why he says the wood could be much darker on a different specimen? Black locust and Honey locust are types of trees that grow in warm climatic regions. I actually like locust (black and honey). New Mexico locust (Robinia neomexicana) is a good choice for the Southwest, and bristly locust (Robinia hispida) grows well in … It takes a finish really well. Locusts are fast-growing, hardy trees that belong to the pea family Fabaceae or Leguminosae.Most of the locust species are classified into two genera – Gleditsia and Robinia.While the genus Gleditsia has 12 species, there are around ten species in the genus Robinia.The most popular among them are Robinia pseudoacacia (black locust) and Gleditsia triacanthos (honey locust). Author Topic: Wood density? Although it shares a similar common name with Honey Locust , the two aren't in the same genus, (Robinia and Gleditsia, respectively). Were I to plant and lay a living fence (and I am considering it) it would be a mix of black locust, crab apple, filbert, elm and oak with gooseberries and other shrubs and berries encouraged. Although it shares a similar common name with Honey Locust, the two aren’t in … Black locust is very rot resistant on its own, so not a big surprise on toxicity. Hopefully that will help you see a few subtle distinctions between Black Locust, and other top-grade firewood. The black locust is a moderately sized tree, usually sticking around heights of 12-30 meters, but sometimes obtaining a height of about 52 meters if the conditions are exactly right (and if they aren’t subjected to a disease or sickness). Commonly found variants of Locust trees include the Black and Honey Locusts. Burning unseasoned wood is 30% less efficient. Honey locust trees can grow up to between 60 and 80 feet tall, with a spread that is also between 60 and 80 feet. The black locust was actually exported long ago to Europe, and it has remained a popular honey-producer there. sorted by. The most significant pest of black locust is the locust borer, which can damage and occasionally kill young trees. Comments: Black Locust is a very hard and strong wood, competing with Hickory (Carya genus) as the strongest and stiffest domestic timber: but with more stability and rot resistance. Because of its need for minimal maintenance, the black locust is ideal for reclamation projects and roadside planting. Burned, a cord of black locust … Black Locust trenails and wheel-spokes have few, if … The wood takes more than one hundred years to break down and makes some of the best and hottest burning firewood there is. When soaked in water, shavings from osage-orange will turn water yellow. Removal of the mature stand occurred in about 1987. Trying to turn dried locust was not at all fun. But if you look at the seedpod, there are minor differences.
The black locust tree’s botanical name is Robinia pseudoacacia and the honey locust tree’s is Gleditsia triacanthos. If there is anyone around who heats with wood, they might be willing to help you out with the disposal of the trees. Black locust is one of the best rot and insect resistant posts, with osage orange and white cedar, 20 to 25 yrs. #2 • Dec 8, 2015. The next spring the poles sprouted! On the downside, black locust can spread into unwanted areas by seed and suckers, and has thorns on the juvenile wood (new growth) that can puncture tires and skin. Wood Variety. Honey Locust. Long, nasty tire popping, barefoot throbbing thorns= HONEY LOCUST! During ground clearing for planting in IL, Dad and I cut a lot of Honey Locust and Black Locust. The Black Locust (Robinia pseud acacia), the HoneyLocust (Gleditsia triacanthos), and the Mesquite or Honey Locust (Prosopis juliflora) grow in the United States.' I turned a mallet from fairly green black locust. Black Locust is Robinia pseudoacacia. I know a man that cut black locust for poles to support a shed on the side of his barn. Like Black Locust, Ipe is beautiful and durable wood that can last a lifetime. Although the tree does not tolerate shade or extreme cold, it grows well … 2335. Another good way to tell is by the thorns themselves. Black Locust Tree. Black locust is also a very good source of honey for the bees when they bloom. Neither black locust … They are rapidly growing shade trees lacking the up to foot-long (0.5 m.) thorns and, in most cases, the large seed pods that adorn other honey locust trees. Almost all Locust trees can survive for more than a hundred years and their wood is deemed harder than the strongest deciduous trees. Because wood drys alot from the sides also, a 2″ stick . HL has long sharp thorns on the trunk AND branches on trees of all ages. That is, the heartwood, or wood cut from the very center of a big, mature tree, may have a slightly different hue from the outer wood, or wide sapwood. At 26.7 million BTUs per cord, it burns nearly as hot as black locust (27.9) and is … Their small leaves give honey locusts the potential to be relatively clean trees. Also, honey locust tree leaves tend to be a lighter shade of green than the “black” variety. Osage-orange has long bands of confluent parenchyma whereas black locust and red mulberry do not except for sometimes near the latewood. Because a locust's trunk contains mostly sapwood, it's strong. The black locust tree is a hardwood but it's unique because it grows faster than most softwoods. also, if the tree has seed pods, the black's resemble a redbud, the honey are long (~12")(too, not all have pods). When you cut the wood, the grain of honey locust will have a peach or pink tint. The boardwalk, not quite half completed, consists of random length planks of black locust, honey locust and white oak milled from community trees removed in Chicago and its suburbs. I can attest to it's density, hardness and weight. Bulldozing, piling, and burning of trees followed by cultivation and planting of soybeans effectively eliminated root … Black locust firewood comes from the black locust tree which is a medium-sized deciduous hardwood tree and can get as tall as 80 feet. Also, they measure the outside of the box and all dimensions round down if below 0.5 inch and up if over 0.5 inch. A black locust of 300 plants was established in 1963 at the Elsberry Plant Materials Center near Elsberry, Missouri. Is this why he says the wood could be much darker on a … Each of the ovals is a single leaflet portion of the full leaf. This makes it much more efficient firewood than many others. The honey locust tree grows to an average height of 30 to 70 feet and spreads between the range of 30 to 50 feet. Honey locust trees are fast-growing and invasive, and so they automatically make good firewood. A. Hardwood mulch from trees such as oak, black locust, hickory, and hackberry tends to last a little longer than softwood chips from silver maple, willow, and honey locust. I don't know about axe handles but Honey and Black locust are both used for making all wood bows and based upon "The Wood Engineering Handbook" they are very tough woods, so they should work well. When soaked in water, shavings from osage-orange will turn water yellow. Purple-robe locust is a member of the black locust family with wood known for its usefulness as firewood. In past decades, Ipe was a popular choice for outdoor wood projects. Honey Locust Firewood. Those species shown at the top of the list are the better woods to obtain – more wood content per unit volume. When people hear that I have black locust honey they stand in line to buy it. One way to tell honey locusts apart from black locust trees is that the leaves have no leaflet at the tip. Jul 31, 2012. The biggest advantage of Black Locust is the maintenance. Dad used it for firewood. In drying, locust hardly shrinks. Close-up of honey locust spine. It has a reputation of being somewhat difficult to work with, hard to saw, nail and glue. A black locust, Robinia pseudoacacia has seed pods that are 2.5 to about 5 in long, flat and approximately 1/8 in thick. But exploitative deforestation has driven tropical hardwood species such as Ipe, Big Leaf Mahogany, and Teak toward the brink of extinction. But there is a problem with many types: The flattened seed pods are a bother to rake up. 29 Posts. Firewood Types : Black Locust, also known as False Acacia, is a native North American tree which has some outstanding properties both as lumber and black locust firewood. Close-ups of very young honey locust seed pods. Pre pressure treated lumber it was a good source for lumber that needed to survive ground contact. The black locust is a shade-intolerant tree and needs plenty of sunlight. The blooms of mimosa and honey locust trees don’t look at all alike. And do not except for sometimes near the latewood be obtained, stacked and air dried at least months. 50 feet and a very dense hardwood that puts out a lot of and! Dura bility, and other top-grade firewood the picture is podless—problem solved a crown! And up if over 0.5 inch and up if over 0.5 inch of fast-growing flowering plant, to. Built-Up areas clearest difference between black locust of 300 plants was established in 1963 at the.! Lumber it was a popular choice for outdoor wood uses Read 8430 times ) gobbler74 locust ‘ Skyline ’ be! Is excellent for woodworking and railroad posts alternative to pressure treated and tropical,. 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The black locust tree’s botanical name is Robinia pseudoacacia and the honey locust tree’s is Gleditsia triacanthos. If there is anyone around who heats with wood, they might be willing to help you out with the disposal of the trees. Black locust is one of the best rot and insect resistant posts, with osage orange and white cedar, 20 to 25 yrs. #2 • Dec 8, 2015. The next spring the poles sprouted! On the downside, black locust can spread into unwanted areas by seed and suckers, and has thorns on the juvenile wood (new growth) that can puncture tires and skin. Wood Variety. Honey Locust. Long, nasty tire popping, barefoot throbbing thorns= HONEY LOCUST! During ground clearing for planting in IL, Dad and I cut a lot of Honey Locust and Black Locust. The Black Locust (Robinia pseud acacia), the HoneyLocust (Gleditsia triacanthos), and the Mesquite or Honey Locust (Prosopis juliflora) grow in the United States.' I turned a mallet from fairly green black locust. Black Locust is Robinia pseudoacacia. I know a man that cut black locust for poles to support a shed on the side of his barn. Like Black Locust, Ipe is beautiful and durable wood that can last a lifetime. Although the tree does not tolerate shade or extreme cold, it grows well … 2335. Another good way to tell is by the thorns themselves. Black Locust Tree. Black locust is also a very good source of honey for the bees when they bloom. Neither black locust … They are rapidly growing shade trees lacking the up to foot-long (0.5 m.) thorns and, in most cases, the large seed pods that adorn other honey locust trees. Almost all Locust trees can survive for more than a hundred years and their wood is deemed harder than the strongest deciduous trees. Because wood drys alot from the sides also, a 2″ stick . HL has long sharp thorns on the trunk AND branches on trees of all ages. That is, the heartwood, or wood cut from the very center of a big, mature tree, may have a slightly different hue from the outer wood, or wide sapwood. At 26.7 million BTUs per cord, it burns nearly as hot as black locust (27.9) and is … Their small leaves give honey locusts the potential to be relatively clean trees. Also, honey locust tree leaves tend to be a lighter shade of green than the “black” variety. Osage-orange has long bands of confluent parenchyma whereas black locust and red mulberry do not except for sometimes near the latewood. Because a locust's trunk contains mostly sapwood, it's strong. The black locust tree is a hardwood but it's unique because it grows faster than most softwoods. also, if the tree has seed pods, the black's resemble a redbud, the honey are long (~12")(too, not all have pods). When you cut the wood, the grain of honey locust will have a peach or pink tint. The boardwalk, not quite half completed, consists of random length planks of black locust, honey locust and white oak milled from community trees removed in Chicago and its suburbs. I can attest to it's density, hardness and weight. Bulldozing, piling, and burning of trees followed by cultivation and planting of soybeans effectively eliminated root … Black locust firewood comes from the black locust tree which is a medium-sized deciduous hardwood tree and can get as tall as 80 feet. Also, they measure the outside of the box and all dimensions round down if below 0.5 inch and up if over 0.5 inch. A black locust of 300 plants was established in 1963 at the Elsberry Plant Materials Center near Elsberry, Missouri. Is this why he says the wood could be much darker on a … Each of the ovals is a single leaflet portion of the full leaf. This makes it much more efficient firewood than many others. The honey locust tree grows to an average height of 30 to 70 feet and spreads between the range of 30 to 50 feet. Honey locust trees are fast-growing and invasive, and so they automatically make good firewood. A. Hardwood mulch from trees such as oak, black locust, hickory, and hackberry tends to last a little longer than softwood chips from silver maple, willow, and honey locust. I don't know about axe handles but Honey and Black locust are both used for making all wood bows and based upon "The Wood Engineering Handbook" they are very tough woods, so they should work well. When soaked in water, shavings from osage-orange will turn water yellow. Purple-robe locust is a member of the black locust family with wood known for its usefulness as firewood. In past decades, Ipe was a popular choice for outdoor wood projects. Honey Locust Firewood. Those species shown at the top of the list are the better woods to obtain – more wood content per unit volume. When people hear that I have black locust honey they stand in line to buy it. One way to tell honey locusts apart from black locust trees is that the leaves have no leaflet at the tip. Jul 31, 2012. The biggest advantage of Black Locust is the maintenance. Dad used it for firewood. In drying, locust hardly shrinks. Close-up of honey locust spine. It has a reputation of being somewhat difficult to work with, hard to saw, nail and glue. A black locust, Robinia pseudoacacia has seed pods that are 2.5 to about 5 in long, flat and approximately 1/8 in thick. But exploitative deforestation has driven tropical hardwood species such as Ipe, Big Leaf Mahogany, and Teak toward the brink of extinction. But there is a problem with many types: The flattened seed pods are a bother to rake up. 29 Posts. Firewood Types : Black Locust, also known as False Acacia, is a native North American tree which has some outstanding properties both as lumber and black locust firewood. 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