# Locust question



## burroak (Jul 8, 2009)

Everyone seems to talk about how long locust will last without rotting. I was wondering if there was a difference between honey locust and black locust in how long it will last before it rots? Or do they both last just as long? 

I've been wondering that for a while and thought I'd ask here.


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## tomtrees58 (Jul 8, 2009)

that's good one its not the same wood black/ ship mast locust will last 200 to 300 years but Honey will not look at the sap in it not to much but very aced ed tom trees


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## pdqdl (Jul 8, 2009)

Never tried the wood for longevity, but that black locust is really tough stuff.


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## capetrees (Jul 8, 2009)

around here, unless you request cedar posts, black locust is the wood used for post & rail fences. Lasts a long time and stays tough. Never seen honey locust used anywhere for anything.


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## capetrees (Jul 8, 2009)

Just looked up honey and black locust on wiki and found that the black locust is not supposed to be on cape. Believe me, its everywhere on cape, not just southeastern US.


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## turnkey4099 (Jul 9, 2009)

capetrees said:


> Just looked up honey and black locust on wiki and found that the black locust is not supposed to be on cape. Believe me, its everywhere on cape, not just southeastern US.



It is a non-native species in many areas. It is common up here in the PNW and was obviously planted by settlers. Always seen around farmsteads or where a farmstead used to be.

Didn't read the wiki article but it may have been addressing 'native'.

Harry K


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## moss (Jul 9, 2009)

Honey Locust is very rot resistant, mature trees hold deadwood for a long time. 

It has twisted grain so it's not easy to work with but it is very strong wood.

I don't know if it is more or less rot resistant than Black Locust.
-moss


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## Blakesmaster (Jul 9, 2009)

We use black locust for our posts here. Come to think of it I've never seen a honey locust straight enough to cut a decent post. One of the black locust posts we "planted" around our garden this year actually sprouted near the top. Interested to see how that turns out.


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## prentice110 (Jul 9, 2009)

Black locust is more resistant to rot than honey but it will not last for 2-300 years like someone said in a previous post. Heres another question me and my buddy have been wondering. How come black locusts have holes in them but no rot? My friends theory is that they grow so fast they get air holes if you get what I mean. I think they just grow that way cuz god said so


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## ATH (Jul 9, 2009)

Dried black locust is very rot resistant. Live black locust trees (wet wood) pretty commonly gets heart rot. Locust borers are frequently the introduction of the fungus.

Honey locust should not be confused as it is MUCH less rot resistant than black locust.


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## BlueRidgeMark (Jul 9, 2009)

capetrees said:


> Just looked up honey and black locust on wiki and found that the black locust is not supposed to be on cape. Believe me, its everywhere on cape, not just southeastern US.




That's what you get for using Wikipedia. It's crap - a bunch of kids playing expert.



It's WORSE than worthless.


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## ray benson (Jul 11, 2009)

I have read that black locust fence posts can last over 70 years with no treatment.


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## limbwalker54 (Jul 11, 2009)

Two different species, completely..... Black Locust _Robinia pseudoacacia _ and Honeylocust _Gleditsia triacanthos_ 

Black locust is indeed resistant (when dried) to rot, WAY longer than honeylocust. But you are comparing common names.....not true genus and species epithet. 

Take for example, Tulip Poplar or Tuliptree. The latin for these are _Liriodendron tulipfera_ Compare this to a Lombardy Poplar _Populus nigra 'Italica'_ Both trees are similar in common name but have completely different traits, and completely different latin names.


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## burroak (Jul 12, 2009)

Thanks for the help everyone! I just wish someone knew of an estimated time that honey locust will last in the ground since we seem to have an estimate for black locust.

Now I wonder if honey locust will last longer in the ground than eastern cedar(incense cedar?)?


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## treeslayer (Jul 12, 2009)

I have heard from some knowledgeable old timers, now long dead, that the Black locust has a high iron content, and was ideal around farmhouses as natural lightning rods.

makes some sense, and definitely always found around old farmsteads around here in VA.

longest burning firewood in a stove when loaded properly, I got 24 hours + off a good loading.


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## ATH (Jul 12, 2009)

OK...I went looking. I knew this chart existed, but I had trouble finding it earlier. Click here - and go down to page 18 (it is a link to Chapter 3 of the pdf version of USFS publication "Wood Handbook - Wood as an Engineering Material").

If you want the whole 14MB document (not just one chapter), Click here and go down to the 63rd page of the pdf document (if you are looking at the pages on the document itself, you want page 3-18).

I guess I was wrong when I said earlier that honey locust is "MUCH" less rot resistant. Honey locust is listed in the "rot resistant" category (as is eastern red cedar). You will see that black locust has a footnote indicating it has "Exceptionally high decay resistance". So, what you _want_ is black locust...but honey locust may serve your purpose as well?


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## eljefe (Jul 12, 2009)

*Re; Black locust*

Hi, Honey locust I don't have much personal experience with other than it will puncture tractor tires. Black locust when used as a fence post will last 10 years longer than the hole. It usually split nicely so it is easy to turn into fence posts...remember posts used to be split not sawn. Splitting posts or split shakes (shingles) last much longer than sawn. I've seen split tulip poplar shakes that came off a barn roof that were in good condition after 20 years. Black locust can make a good fast traditional bow. Black locust contains silica. Treeslayer, you are from Williamsburg. Roy Underhill (woodwrights shop) mentioned that the lichens that grow on black locust were used to sharpen knife blades because of their high silica content. Roy Underhill, now there is a guy with an extraordinary accumulation of knowledge on wood. I've seen both black locust and osage orange trees with blackened burn marks in the center of the tree running many feet. I have suspected lightning but I have no absolute proof. And I don't know why lightning would be more attached to those trees rather than other species. Or possibly these species can simply survive a lightning strike that would kill another tree??? I guess I've asked more questions than I have answered. Oh well. Eljefe


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## burroak (Jul 15, 2009)

ATH said:


> OK...I went looking. I knew this chart existed, but I had trouble finding it earlier. Click here - and go down to page 18 (it is a link to Chapter 3 of the pdf version of USFS publication "Wood Handbook - Wood as an Engineering Material").
> 
> If you want the whole 14MB document (not just one chapter), Click here and go down to the 63rd page of the pdf document (if you are looking at the pages on the document itself, you want page 3-18).
> 
> I guess I was wrong when I said earlier that honey locust is "MUCH" less rot resistant. Honey locust is listed in the "rot resistant" category (as is eastern red cedar). You will see that black locust has a footnote indicating it has "Exceptionally high decay resistance". So, what you _want_ is black locust...but honey locust may serve your purpose as well?



Thanks a bunch! That was very useful. I see black cherry is on the resistant list too.


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## moss (Jul 16, 2009)

BlueRidgeMark said:


> That's what you get for using Wikipedia. It's crap - a bunch of kids playing expert.
> 
> 
> 
> It's WORSE than worthless.



Could be but the wikipedia entry was correct, Black Locust is not native to Cape Cod, it's introduced and an invasive.
-moss


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## TravisL (Jul 18, 2009)

the wiki was right, technically, audubon and petersons field guides both show black locust not in the cape, or CT. where I live, but it is here is full force. Black locust makes awesome pegs for post and beam. A square black locust peg into a round hole and that baby aint going no where. My girlfriend loves their flowers.


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