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Cornell Junior Extension Bulletin 26 



44. HONEY LOCUST 

 (Gleditsia triacanthos Linnaeus) 



Honey locust, while native in western New York only, has been widely 

 introduced as a hedge and ornamental tree, and is hardy and frequent 

 throughout the State except in the mountains. The wood is hard, strong, 



coarse-grained, but not so durable 

 in contact with the soil as is the 

 black locust. It is not commer- 

 cially important on account of 

 its scattered distribution and the 

 knotty character of the wood due 

 to its being open-grown as con- 

 trasted with forest-grown. 



Bark — on young branches 

 smooth, grayish brown in color, 

 with age becoming roughened 

 into firm, broad, blackish ridges 

 with edges that curve outwards. 



Twigs — rather stout, smooth, 

 glossy, zigzag; usually bearing 

 stiff, sharp-branched thorns from 

 3 to 4 inches long, above leaf base 

 (node), 

 lateral buds very small, not easily 



HONEY LOCUST 



Leaf and fruit, one-fourth natural size ; 

 twig, three-fourths natural size 



-terminal bud absent 



Winter buds- 

 seen. 



Leaves — alternate, simply or doubly compound, from 6 to 8 inches 

 long; if singly compound, with from 18 to 28 leaflets; leaflets usually 

 even in number, elliptical, 1^ to 2 inches long ; if doubly compound, 

 with from 4 to 7 pairs of secondary leaf stems. 



Fruit — a pod, flat, usually twisted, reddish brown in color, from 10 to 

 18 inches long, 1^ inches wide, from 2 to 3 in a cluster, ripening in late 

 autumn but staying on the tree well into winter ; each pod containing 

 from 10 to 20 brown oval seeds, % inch long. The fleshy pari of the 

 pod is sweet, hence the name "honey locust." 



