The plant prefers a rainfall range of 425 - 1500 mm and can tolerate altitudes up to 2100 m. It is adaptable to a variety of soil types, including alkaline, acid, and saline soils. It is known for its ability to withstand drought conditions. This plant is deciduous, allowing light to penetrate during the winter months. It has a deep root system and is resistant to frost.
Honey Locust
The honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) is a fast-growing, long-lived legume tree native to North America. It can reach heights of up to 30 meters and has a deep root system that allows it to withstand drought. With thorny branches and nutritious pods, it serves as a valuable food source for livestock and can be used for timber, fuelwood, and human consumption.
(Gleditsia triacanthos)
United States
- The honey locust tree is also known as Gleditsia triacanthos. - It belongs to the family CAESALPINIACEAE. - The tree is native to North America and can tolerate a wide range of rainfall, from 425 to 1500 mm. - It can grow up to 24 meters in height, with trunk diameters of 60-90 cm. - The honey locust has a deep root system that helps it withstand drought. - It is tolerant of alkaline and acid soils, as well as salt. - This deciduous tree allows light to pass through in winter, benefiting understorey vegetation. - The branches of the honey locust often have thorns, which protect them from damage by stock. - Some cultivars of the honey locust are thornless, but seedlings of those cultivars may revert back to thorns. - Various animals, including pigs, sheep, cattle, and goats, feed on the honey locust pods that fall from the female trees in autumn. - The nutritive analysis of honey locust pods reveals that they are a valuable stock feed, with protein content ranging from 14.3% to 16%, sugar content from 15.5% to 26.5%, and carbohydrate content at 60.5%. - Honey locust trees can yield around 9 t/ha/yr by year 12 at a density of 36 trees/ha, increasing to 18 t/ha/yr by year 15. Mature groves have achieved yields of 50 to 60 t/ha/yr in selected plantings in North America. - The pods of the honey locust can also be used for human consumption and alcohol fuel production. - The timber of the honey locust tree is hard, heavy, and strong. The heartwood can last 100 years untreated in the ground. It is commonly used as a furniture timber. - The honey locust tree coppices freely and produces suckers from damaged roots. - In addition to propagation from seed, the honey locust can also be propagated by transplanting root suckers.
This plant is tolerant of both alkaline and acid soils and also of salt.
Family: CAESALPINIACEAE
This moderately fast growing, long lived legume is native to North America and requires a rainfall of 425 - 1500 mm for good growth. It also has a good survival up to altitude 2100 m. It often attains heights of 24 m (up to 30 m), with trunk diameters of 60 - 90 cm. Its deep root system makes it capable of withstanding drought. It is tolerant of both alkaline and acid soils and also of salt. Being a deciduous tree, it allows light through in winter months, to pasture or other understorey. Mature trees are resistant to frost.
Branches generally form thorns which protect them from ring barking by stock. Some thornless cultivars do exist, although seedlings of those may revert back to thorns. Pigs, sheep, cattle and goats all readily feed on the honey locust pods which fall from the female trees in autumn.
Nutritive analysis of honey locust pods: protein - 14.3 - 16%; sugar - 15.5 - 26.5% carbohydrate - 60.5%; fat - 7.5%; calcium - 0.2%; iron - 0.0038%; nitrogen free extract - 60.8%; crude fibre -18.4%; ash - 4.7%. They are said to be superior to oats as a stock feed. By year 12 a yield of 9 t/ha/yr can be expected at a density of 36 trees/ha, 18 t/ha/yr by year 15 and mature groves have reached yields of around 50 to 60 t/ha/yr in selected plantings in North America. The pods can also be used for human food and alcohol fuel production.
The timber is hard, heavy and strong, and the heartwood is reported to last 100 years untreated in the ground. It is a good furniture timber. The tree coppices freely and suckers from damaged roots. It is a good fuelwood.
Propagating the tree from seed is very similar to that of carob although the honey locust can also be propagated by transplanting root suckers.