Here are some different types of locust trees that perform well in home gardens:
- Honey locust tree
- Black locust tree
- Carob tree (or old world locust tree)
- Water locust tree
- Frisia black locust tree
- Twisty baby
- Bristly locust tree
- New Mexico locust
- African locust bean
Full Answer
Do all locust trees have thorns?
Many varieties of locust trees have long sharp thorns and there are a few thornless species. Locust trees can live for over a hundred years, and the wood is one of the hardest woods from any deciduous tree. Locust tree lumber is exceptionally durable and the timber is excellent for making furniture, fence posts, flooring, and small boats.
What type of tree is a honey locust?
The Gleditsia triacanthos, or honey locust as its commonly called, is a decidious tree native to the central United States. It blooms relatively late in the spring and produces yellow leaves in autumn. The tree gets its name from the sweet, sticky pulp it produces.
What type of leaf honey locust trees posses?
What does Honey Locust Trees Look Like?
- Root System. Honey locust trees are very good at establishing a very strong root system. ...
- Dimensions. The honey locust tree is a very fast-growing tree, and will usually reach a height between 20 and 30 meters tall.
- Bark. ...
- Foliage. ...
- Thorns. ...
Is locust tree good for firewood?
Black locust is one of the best firewoods and for good reason. The wood is very dense and has a density similar to that of anthracite coal. This allows for a very hot burn with a long flame. The wood is great for anyone with a fireplace or stove. It produces a tremendous amount of heat and can create a nice slow-burning bed of coals.
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How many types of locust tree are there?
However, even though there are more than 22 species of locust trees, the two most popular types of locust trees are Gleditsia triacanthos (honey locust) and Robinia pseudoacacia (black locust). But they are few more few varieties that perform particularly well in home landscapes.
How can you tell what kind of locust tree you have?
Identifying species of locust trees can be done by features such as their flowers, color of bark, height of the tree, and the thorns. Another way to identify the type of locust tree is by the shape and color of its seed pods. Locust trees grow to between 66 and 98 ft. (20 – 30 m).
What is the difference between black locust and honey locust trees?
Honey locusts can be distinguished from Black Locusts by their longer, widespread thorns and longer seedpods. The bark of the two trees is also quite different in color and shape, and the Black Locusts flowers are large, showy white clusters, while those of the Honey Locust are creamy and insignificant.
What are the different types of locust?
Honey locustGleditsia sinensisGleditsia caspicaGleditsia assamicaGleditsia vestitaGleditsia/Lower classifications
What is the best locust tree?
Imperial Honey Locust Belonging to the family of Honey Locusts, the Imperial Honey Locust is one of the most widely popular and fine variants of shade trees. It has multiple ferns and a perfectly delicate structure with a yellowish or greenish tinge.
Are there male and female locust trees?
The honey locust in polygamo-dioecious, which means that the species has unisexual flowers with male (staminate) and female (pistillate) flowers on different trees, but also some perfect flowers (both male and female parts) on each tree.
What locust tree has thorns?
honey locustThe 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.
Are locust trees good for anything?
Because it fixes nitrogen from the atmosphere, the trees grow incredibly fast (3 – 4 feet in a season) and can quickly become windbreaks, shelterbelts, and shade and shelter for animals in silvopasture grazing systems.
Are locust trees worth money?
Black Locust wood contains natural organic compounds that resist rot for 100 years or more, which makes these trees an extremely valuable and environmentally friendly tree.
How can you tell a honey locust tree?
1:081:37How to identify honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd when it gets mature like this it looks like the plates here could just kind of peel right back.MoreAnd when it gets mature like this it looks like the plates here could just kind of peel right back. So remember compound leaves alternate branching long curly seed pods. That's our honey locust.
Are all locust trees poisonous?
The Bottom Line. The bark, seeds, and leaves of black locust trees contain poisonous compounds called toxalbumins. They are toxic to both livestock and humans and have been reported to cause symptoms from gastrointestinal distress to nervous system disorders.
Are locust trees worth money?
Prices for these products range from $1 – $3 per linear foot for whole posts, and from $1.50 – $3.50/board foot for milled lumber, which is far above the prices for most conventional hardwood lumber.
Do all honey locust trees have thorns?
Though native honey locust trees are typically densely covered in long, tough thorns, horticulturalists developed thornless honey locust varieties. While they almost always remain thornless, these domesticated varieties have the ability to produce thorns in rare cases.
Do all honey locust trees have pods?
The Common Honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos) is truly an asset in the yard or park. Fortunately, there are a number of thornless versions of this tree that have no seed pods. A thornless Honeylocust is the only Honeylocust to have in your yard.
Do all locust trees produce pods?
Many varieties of locust grow in the U.S., with honey locust and black locust being most common. Honey locust has pods that contain edible seeds, while the pods of other locust tree varieties are primarily for reproductive use.
What is the lifespan of a locust tree?
There is a significant difference in the lifespan of black locusts and honey locust trees. Black locust trees are fast-growing but are considered a...
How do you stop a locust tree from spreading?
Locust trees can be a growing problem, especially when grown as shrubs. As a matter of fact, locust trees have been tagged as invasive in some US s...
Are locust trees poisonous to humans?
Not all locust trees are poisonous to humans. Only the black locust trees contain a toxic substance called toxalbumin. It can be fatal when ingeste...
What are the two types of locust trees?
However, even though there are more than 22 species of locust trees, the two most popular types of locust trees are Gleditsia triacanthos (honey locust ) and Robinia pseudoacacia (black locust).
What is a locust tree?
Natives to North America, locust trees are a hardy and fast-growing flowering plant belong to the Fabaceae family. And you can easily identify a locust tree with beautiful, lace-like pinnate (or compound) leaves that fall like grapes from long branches, then drooping plumes (racemes) of white, often sweetly scented white flowers, that look a bit like sweet peas.
Why are locust trees so popular?
Locust trees are wonderful plants for many reasons; their foliage, their shape, their beautiful, bountiful and sweet smelling flowers, then the pods come and they add an extra touch to their intricate beauty … The list goes on…#N#Some are massive trees, like the African locust bean, while others are bushes you can grow in small back gardens, like the bristly locust tree, and you can find one that fits and suits many types of gardens and hopefully your taste too…#N#But there is more… these trees have contributed to the economy of whole regions, providing food (with their beans and even flowers), even very rare vitamins, some have medicinal qualities, but they have also given shade in hot places and very precious wood.
What is a bristly locust tree?
Bristly Locust Tree (Robinia hispida) Also known as moss locust, or rose acacia, this locust variety is a shrub that has very lush, deep to dark green leaves with round leaflets and pink to purple flowers that come is clusters of fairly small, but eye catching racemes.
How tall is a sage plant?
It is fairly tolerant to drought, bit not to overwatering and flooding, so, it will need very well drained soil. Size: 30 to 50 feet tall (9 to 15 meters) and 20 to 35 feet in spread (6 to 10 meters). Hardiness: it is hardy to USDA zones 4 to 9.
What does a spruce trunk look like?
The trunk, in fact, which can become fairly large, grows straight and then branches off with balance and elegance to create what look like large fronds of foliage that arch and droop, especially when the rich, generous and scented flowers fill them with white.
How big do carob trees get?
The trunk of the carob tree is a work of art by Mother Nature; with large, smooth, muscular ribs of hard, dark wood, they can grow to be 5 feet wide (1.5 meters). This tree will tend to grow in spread rather than height, giving it its distinctive protective look, like a wise old man guarding your garden.
How many types of locust trees are there?
There at least 20 recognized cultivars of locust trees but there are two major types when it comes to this tree. Basically, it is divided between black locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia) and honey locust trees (Gleditsia triacanthos). These two divisions are endemic in the whole North American region.
Where is the locust tree?
Kimberly Crawford. Locust trees are one of the hardiest, easy to maintain, and common shade plants in North America, Europe, and some regions in Asia. It comes in two main types which might have confused you in one way or another. You might be interested in the locust tree because of its decorative and shade value.
Why are black locusts important?
Honey production: they bloom dense clusters of flowers that attract bees, among others. This is the reason why black locusts are planted in areas with robust honey production industries. Firewood: since their wood is sturdy, black locust woods are hard to burn to make them efficient sources of firewood.
Why do locust trees have dead spots?
Dead spots in the bark are evidence of canker disease and this leads to wood decay. Lastly, locust trees are susceptible to wetwood disease caused by bacteria buildup. When locust trees contract this disease, the bark becomes consistently wet or oozing with slime. The tree color also turns yellow or brown.
What are honey locusts used for?
Food source: Its seedpods actually contain sweet and chewy pulps that are edible. These pulps are used in traditional cuisine and medicines. At present, these pulps are still used in the production of herbal tea and the fermentation of beer.
What are the pods on a locust tree?
Locust tree pods. Locust tree pods contain seeds that can be harvested to plant new locust trees. They are usually seen hanging on the thick branches of the tree in between spring to early fall. Inside the tree, pods are seeds that differentiate black and honey locust trees.
How tall do black locust trees grow?
Types of black locust trees. 1. Frisia black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia ‘Frisia’) It is a fast-growing black locust tree growing at a height of 30-50ft tall with a spread of 30-40ft. It grows upright and has leaf gaps casting ample light for other plants in the lawn to grow.
What type of tree is a locust?
Types of Locust Tree: Identify Locust Trees with Pictures. Written by Lindsey Glenn in Tree. Locust trees belong to a family of flowering plants called Fabaceae, they are fast growing. The locust trees have good hardwood and extraordinarily colorful flowers, which bloom in spring.
What is the family of locusts?
The locust tree has many natural varieties and cultivars, and all of them belong to one of the two genera of the locust tree, namely, Robinia or Gleditsia. One of the most famous representatives of the Robinia genus is the Black Locust tree. The famous Honey locust tree belongs to the family Gedistisia.
How tall is a black locust?
The black locust has smaller pods: sized from two to four inches. The pods have a leathery texture and are dark red to black in color. Next to the honey locust, this is the tallest of the locust tree with a height of 70 feet. The thorns are present where the leaves join the stem.
How big are honey locust pods?
The pods of the tree are largest in size ranging from 10 inches to 18 inches. Being that long and flat, often, the seed pods also get twisted. The tree derives its name, honey locust tree, because of the sweet taste of these pods. The USDA suggests zone 4 through 9 as being the most suitable for this species.
How big do locust trees get?
It is the largest of the locust tree variety, which can go up to 80 feet in height. The flowers are greenish-yellow in color and not so attractive as other locust trees. The flowers bloom in the late spring and early summer. It has the biggest and the fiercest of thorns. They come in branches and can be 20 inches long. The pods of the tree are largest in size ranging from 10 inches to 18 inches. Being that long and flat, often, the seed pods also get twisted. The tree derives its name, honey locust tree, because of the sweet taste of these pods. The USDA suggests zone 4 through 9 as being the most suitable for this species.
What animals eat black locusts?
Animals, like cattle, deer, rabbits, and squirrels, love eating it. The black locusts have smaller pods of about 4 inches, but it contains up to 14 seeds. These pods are not edible. The Mexican locust tree and the bristly locust tree have smaller pods around 2 inches long with hairs on them.
What are the characteristics of a locust tree?
The most prominent identification feature of a locust tree is its unique thorns, the pods, the sweetly fragrant flowers, and the leaves. In the spring, you can see sweet fragrant pea-shaped flowers hanging in clusters all over the tree. The flowers are generally white or pink in color.
What are the different types of locust trees?
Commonly found variants of Locust trees include the Black and Honey Locusts. Both these trees are popular for their incredibly solid wood, their mildly fragrant flowers, and their vibrant foliage. However, these aren’t the only Locust Trees there is.
What is the most common locust tree?
Black Locusts. This is probably one of the most popular and common variants of Locust trees. In addition to having multiple uses, it is also extremely convenient to cultivate. Unlike several other variants of Locusts, Black locusts grow rapidly in almost every kind of soil condition.
How tall is a honey locust?
Growing to an average height of 45 feet, the Skyline Honey Locust is known to spread to up to 25 feet. It widely popular among shade trees and is best known for the delicate and yet ferny structure.
How big do honey locust trees grow?
These trees can reach a whopping 100 feet in the wild and they usually grow around 40 to 70 feet during cultivation.
What is the name of the tree with a yellowish tinge?
Belonging to the family of Honey Locusts, the Imperial Honey Locust is one of the most widely popular and fine variants of shade trees. It has multiple ferns and a perfectly delicate structure with a yellowish or greenish tinge.
How long do locust trees live?
Almost all Locust trees can survive for more than a hundred years and their wood is deemed harder than the strongest deciduous trees. Commonly found variants of Locust trees include the Black and Honey Locusts.
When do locust trees produce new leaves?
Unlike the leaves of many other Locust plants, these are bright greenish with a yellowish tinge during the fall seasons. Once the leaves wither in the fall, the tree almost instantly proceeds to produce new leaves that are most pertinently visible during the Spring months.
Where do locust trees grow?
These trees are majorly found in Mexico and the eastern region of North America. There is a variety of types of locust trees in which some are popularly cultivated as ornamentals ...
How many leaflets does a locust tree have?
Locust trees are simply described as deciduous trees that produce long, compound leaves, each of which has the ability to sprout a total of 21 leaflets. There are many of its species that are often armed with thorns which are typically almost three inches in length.
What kind of leaves do honey locust trees have?
They have bright green leaves that are pinnately compound, and they contain little leaflets that give the foliage a very pretty, lacy effect. The lacy foliage makes the honey locust trees ideal for patios since they open shade that is ideal for shade-loving plants as well as patios.
What color are honey locust flowers?
The flowers produced by honey locust trees are really small, sport a creamy-green color and give off a very strong aromatic scent. The male flowers of this plant often grow in dense clusters while the female flowers grow more towards the loosely-arranged end.
What is the scientific name for a honey locust tree?
Honey Locust Tree. Scientific Name: Gleditsia triacanthos. This variety of locust tree is known by many other interesting names, including honey shuck, sweet bean, and sweet locust. It is a very fast growing tree, a quality that has led it to become one of the most commonly and popularly cultivated plants.
Why is honey locust tree called honey locust?
They hold this particular name because the sweetness of their pulp is popularly used in the making of different types of beer. Like black locust trees, the timber of the honey locust tree is also really hard and durable, making it a highly valuable type of wood for furniture making.
How long are black locust flowers?
These flowers are often found hanging in clusters that measure between four to ten inches in terms of length. Although black locust trees are usually planted for decorative purposes, they are more popular and much valued for their durable, hard and top quality wood.
What is a locust tree?
Natives to North America, locust trees are well-known for their strong wood and fall foliage. This article provides a brief overview about the common types of locusts that are also popular as landscape trees. Locust wood is so hard and durable that it is used for making rails and fence posts. As a young man, President Abraham Lincoln used ...
How to identify a locust tree?
In order to identify a locust tree; check the size of the tree, the color and texture of its bark, shape and arrangement of leaflets, flower color and structure, and nature of seed pods and thorns.
How many leaflets does a black locust have?
The leaves are pinnately compound, with a length of around 25 centimeters. Each leaf has nine to nineteen leaflets, that are roughly oval. The leaflets resemble our thumbprints, in size and shape. Each leaf has a single leaflet at the tip. The leaves turn yellowish during autumn. The legume fruit contains seeds. As compared to some other locust species, the seed pods of the black locust are small and light.
How many species of locusts are there in the genus 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). Both are deciduous, and are grown as landscape trees. You may also come across different locust cultivars.
What are the thorns on a honey locust tree?
Honey locusts carry thorns on their branches, and at the base of leaves. These thorns are longer (around 3 to 10 cm); and are seen in dense clusters. The young and tender thorns are green and soft. As they age, the thorns turn harder and reddish brown. Fully mature thorns are brittle, and are usually ash gray in color. The tree is also known as thorny locust.
What are the characteristics of a black locust tree?
One of the characteristic features of this tree is the short, prickly thorns that are located at the base of the leaves. The thorns of black locust trees are short, when compared to that of honey locusts.
Why is honey locust called honey locust?
The name may be derived from the sweetness of the pulp that is also used for making beer. Its timber is highly valued for making furniture, as it is hard and durable. The seeds pods are used as fodder for livestock. Like black locust, different parts of the honey locust tree are also used for medicinal purposes.
What is a locust tree?
Locust tree are members of genus Robinia, a genus of about 10 species of flowering trees and shrubs in pea family ( Fabaceae) that grow in North America. Locusts are deciduous and bear long compound leaves with up to 23 oblong leaflets. Many species have thorns. The flowers are often showy and fragrant and hang in loose clusters. The fruits are long flattened legumes. These trees are generally cultivated as ornamentals. The trees are also easy to grow, which has helped them spread and become invasive in many areas in North America.
How tall is a black locust tree?
Black locust reaches a typical height of 40–100 feet (12–30 m) with a diameter of 2–4 feet (0.61–1.22 m). Exceptionally, it may grow up to 52 metres (171 ft) tall and 1.6 metres (5.2 ft) diameter in very old trees. It is a very upright tree with a straight trunk and narrow crown that grows scraggly with age. The dark blue-green compound leaves with a contrasting lighter underside give this tree a beautiful appearance in the wind and contribute to its grace.
What is a Skyline Honey Locust?
Skyline honey locust is a thornless variety with a stronger upright growth form, few seed pods, and excellent yellow fall color. This is an adaptable tree especially good for streets and parking lots.
How tall does a purple robe locust grow?
The leaves are odd pinately compound with up to 23 lance-shaped to ovate leaflets. In the spring the leaves emerge bronze-red but turn to green during the summer before turning yellow in the fall. It also develops long clusters of purple-colored flowers in May that resemble Wisteria flowers. These beautifully fragrant clusters cover the tree profusely that grows up to eight inches long each. The tree reaches 30 to 50 feet tall at maturity, and its oval canopy spreads 20 to 35 feet wide.
What is a shademaster honeylocust?
Shademaster Honeylocust is an open deciduous tree with an upright spreading habit of growth . It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape composition which can make it a great accent feature on this basis alone.The Shademaster Honeylocust is known for its dark green foliage throughout the year. Its pinnately compound leaves turn to a beautiful yellow hue during the fall. This tree does not produce any fruit or flowers.
How tall is a honey locust?
The honey locust can reach a height of 20–30 m (66–98 ft). They exhibit fast growth, but live a medium-long life span of about 120 years. The leaves are pinnately compound on older trees but bipinnately compound on vigorous young trees. The leaflets are 1.5–2.5 cm (0.6–1 in) (smaller on bipinnate leaves) and bright green.
What color are twigs?
The twigs are grayish brown and have a pair of stout, sharp, curved thorns at the nodes. The young twigs are reddish and glandular-hairy. The bark is grayish, smooth when young, and furrowed when old. The fast-growing plants are suckering and thicket-forming large shrubs or small trees.
What are the most common types of locust trees?
The most popular types of locust trees in North America are called black locust and honey locust. In this article you’ll find all you need to know about their uses, popular varieties and related planting processes.
What is a locust tree?
The term “locust” can apply to several different species of trees with legume-like seed pods. Locust trees are from the Fabaceae (legumes or pea family) family native to North America. Different locust trees are classified as part of the Gleditsia or Robinia genera. Meaning locusts can be trees or shrubs. The most popular types of locust trees in ...
What are the problems with locust trees?
Problems with Locust Trees. In some areas, cankers and root collar rot are serious problems for honey locust trees. Cankers first appear as flattened or discolored surfaces on the branches and trunk of the tree. Over time, cankers can spread and completely girdle the tree, causing tree death.
Why are black locusts planted?
“These flowers are attractive to bees and provide a good source of nectar. Therefore, black locust trees are planted in regions where honeybees are operating to help them with their honey production.”.
How tall does a black locust robinia grow?
The black locust robinia tree can tolerate poor soil, drought, pollution, and even salt. Growing up to 70 feet tall and 30 feet wide in areas with lots of sun and moderate moisture levels. Black locust leaves are generally blue-green, small and oval, with short sharp thorns.
How tall does a shademaster honey locust tree grow?
The Shademaster honey locust tree has no thorns and grows faster than most locust trees. Reaching heights of 50 feet and upwards. One advantage of growing Shademasters is that they don’t produce fruits. Meaning they’re easier to maintain than other locust trees.
What type of locust is yellow?
The Imperial Honey Locust. This type of honey locust, also known as Impcole, grows to about 35 feet high. It has yellow-green flowers and feathery leaves that almost look like ferns. The leaves are green during spring and summer, yellow in the fall and shed in winter.
What is a locust tree?
Image by emilio100. Members of the pea family, locust trees produce large clusters of pea-like flowers that bloom in spring, followed by long pods. You might think that the name “honey locust” comes from the sweet nectar that bees use to make honey, but it actually refers to the sweet fruit that is a treat for many types of wildlife.
What is the difference between a locust tree and an impcole tree?
These varieties produce dappled shade under their canopies—ideal conditions for a flower border. ‘Impcole’ is a compact, thornless variety with a dense, rounded canopy.
Do locust trees have thorns?
Except for a few thornless honey locust varieties, locust trees have fierce thorns that grow in pairs along the trunk and lower branches. Read on to find out how to grow a locust tree.
Do locust trees fix nitrogen?
You might think because of their relation to legumes, these trees fix nitrogen to the soil. Well, that isn’t the case for all locust trees. The honey locust is a non-nitrogen producing legume and may require regular annual fertilization with a balanced fertilizer. The other locust tree varieties, especially black locust, do fix nitrogen, ...
