# Honey Locust and Thorns



## Roofgunner (Nov 12, 2010)

I thought I'd do some advising to those of you who don't know and might move to Missouri (and other areas that have them) about the locust trees I "met" moving here from California and we didn't have these weeds in PA., where I grew up. 

We have these trees (weeds) called honey locusts or just a type of locust tree. They would make a great national tree for North Korea or Iran. Al Quida probably sells them at their nurseries. These trees, the female mainly has long thorns on the trunks and branches. Real long thorns. If you get stuck with one of these it hurts, real bad. It's like they inject a poison and it turns hard where you get stuck. One time one stuck me on what I think may have been a planters wart on my finger. It got rid of the wart or whatever it was. While working with (against) these trees if you didn't swear, you will end up swearing. I will tell you the story of how I've delt with them because I have my own eradication program, and the mistakes I made while dealing with them. There is one good thing: they make good firewood and the stump rot out faster than some other trees like oak.

Here's what NOT TO DO: Don't get the idea of trying to use a chainsaw to take the thorns off the side of the tree. This is a waste of time. And, the saw blade will only make a missle out of the thorn. You must wear a helmet and face protector incase one is launched. Furthermore these thorns tend to end up in tires. This is why I can recommend Gempler's tire sealant. We have it in all our tires that go in the woods and field.

If you have to take one of these trees out near the house carefully cut it down and drag it somewhere away where you can easily despose of the limbs. My friend has a BEFCO chipper/grinder that I put on the back of the AC180 and we make chips out of the limbs. It is best to let a helper feed the limbs into the shreader mouth that you have cut straight as straight as possible. Why?? Because when the teeth of the chipper/shredder grab a limb and pull it and the helper is trying to bend a limb to get it to feed, and the limb gets ripped through his/her hand you get the swearing, blood, crying and if you're really unlucky they just leave.

The other alternative is to just burn crap--safely.

Now, how do I deal with the thorns? Get one tank of propane, and one of those flame throwers with a long hose. Get one with a trigger, auto-lighter, and valve. The one's with just the valve are not as user friendly as the ones that have both. Then you can feel like a Marine on Iwo Jima.

Cut the tree down and do what you have to do for fire protection. Fire up the flame thrower, and checking the wind start flaming the thorns. They are full of hydro-carbon and will burn easily and quickly. Then you can easily cut up the tree. And it splits easily. Once this is all done you can feel good because you've fought a war, and there will be one tree less around the area.

But you are not finished!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! These trees (weeds) are tenacious rascals. The coup de grass is to put Tordon on the stump. This will kill it for good. Round-Up Pro (contains 2% Diquat) will also kill the stumps most of the time and it will kill the little locust trees. 

As a word of warning: I had one attack me while I was cutting it down. I had my ATV winch line attached to it to pull it down the way I wanted it to fall. I had it cut part way through. As I walked back to the ATV fortunately I looked over my back (NEVER turn you back on one of these trees!) and it started to fall, in a last ditch(we have these in Missouri, too) effort to attack me.

I have to go now, to put another piece of locust on the fire.:greenchainsaw:


----------



## WetBehindtheEar (Nov 12, 2010)

Fantastic story! I bet the sentences just flew off your fingers, too, didn't they?

Thanks for sharing.


----------



## jags (Nov 12, 2010)

And watch those thorns - they are notorious for giving infections. This is coming from a guy that had a wrist and hand swell to double size, and had to pump antibiotics for a couple of weeks. Darn thorn got jammed into my wrist, deep, right above where the leather stopped.


----------



## CountryBoy19 (Nov 12, 2010)

I have to disagree on some notes...

You're correct that when stuck, it's almost like there is a poison. I got stuck in my knuckle over a month ago and I still can't bend my finger without it hurting right where I got stuck. And they're bad news for tires.

Mostly I disagree with the removal of the thorns. I've found a chainsaw works quite well. The thorns all grow in clumps from small spots on the tree. All you have to do is run the saw up to speed, then use the nose of your bar, laid down almost flat against the tree and just graze it over the point where the clump attaches and they all fall off. Don't use the length of the bar and skim along the side of the tree, that is what makes missiles. The thorns are very strong, but their weak point is where they're attached so you want to try to cut them right at the attachment point, otherwise the chain just grabs them and rips them free from the tree and throws them. You want to use the nose of the bar, and move the bar upwards (so the part contacting the thorns is moving away from you), this will be sure that no flying thorns come your way.


----------



## blades (Nov 12, 2010)

The tip of these thorns easily fracture, likely you still have a very very tiny piece left behind. I have done impromptu surgery on more than one occasion due to these buggers. Bright light and a large magnification are required.


----------



## Roofgunner (Nov 12, 2010)

*locust thorns*

Well, I wrote the story because before moving here I wasn't hip on a tree like this. They stuck in my ATV tires and in the Polar sport trailer tires so I learned about tire sealant.(Now I have 6ply tires on the ATV and better tires on the Polar sport) Although now that the house is built (we had to clear land for it) and one by one I've been taking out the thorn trees and using them for firewood so things have calmed down around here. I don't like cutting down oak trees and other good trees that offer a "social redeeming value" so I figure for every locut tree that's gone a better one will come in it's place. As needed, they will be targets of opportunity. The other bad thing about them is that (although it's not a problem) they seem to attract a boring worm, so like many criminals they appear tuff on the surface (thorns) but weak at heart!!! However, the opposite of cutting the locust is the joy of cutting red elm-clean, easy to split and a joy to run a saw through and a joy even to stack and haul. The Good, Bad and the Ugly.


----------



## daleeper (Nov 12, 2010)

Roofgunner said:


> Now, how do I deal with the thorns? Get one tank of propane, and one of those flame throwers with a long hose. Get one with a trigger, auto-lighter, and valve. The one's with just the valve are not as user friendly as the ones that have both. Then you can feel like a Marine on Iwo Jima.
> 
> Cut the tree down and do what you have to do for fire protection. Fire up the flame thrower, and checking the wind start flaming the thorns. They are full of hydro-carbon and will burn easily and quickly. Then you can easily cut up the tree. And it splits easily. Once this is all done you can feel good because you've fought a war, and there will be one tree less around the area.



Hey neighbor, have you tried burning the thorns off the bottom part of the trunk before felling the tree? I have a bunch of these weed trees I need to get rid of myself, and have been putting it off because I don't want to deal with the thorns. Now I will have to hunt down one of those flame throwers and give it a whirl.

Thanks for the tips.


----------



## abikerboy (Nov 12, 2010)

Roofgunner said:


> We have these trees (weeds) called honey locusts or just a type of locust tree. Here's what NOT TO DO: Don't get the idea of trying to use a chainsaw to take the thorns off the side of the tree. This is a waste of time. And, the saw blade will only make a missle out of the thorn. You must wear a helmet and face protector incase one is launched. Furthermore these thorns tend to end up in tires. This is why I can recommend Gempler's tire sealant. We have it in all our tires that go in the woods and field.



We have tons of these here in my area of Virginia as well. Huge pain in the backside! As the branches age and die off, the thorns just get harder. I am constantly pulling them out of mower tires! I am working on taking them down...one piece at a time! The smaller stuff goes through my wood chipper, (which is only a 5 horse that is 20 years old, so it wont take much). The larger stuff I'm putting back for firewood. I have found that the easiest way to deal with the thorns is to shave them with a small axe. I will either surround the base of the tree with a bunch of the really cheap blue tarps, and shave the trunk, or I will drop the tree onto the tarps and then shave it and cut it up. It doesn't work perfect, but it does make it easier! Good luck.


----------



## Tofurkey (Nov 12, 2010)

When I was 14 or 15 I was on a Boy Scout camp out In Ohio along the Tiffin river. Unfortunately where we camped there were a lot of locust trees. My mom had just bought me a new pair of clod hoppers earlier in the week and I was pretty happy to have a new pair of boots. As my luck would have it I stepped down and drove a locust spike right thru the side of my boot and into the arch of my foot. Then the @#$%%$ spike broke off flush with my boot. I couldn't get my foot out of the boot because the thorn was in about 1/2" into my foot and still stuck in the leather of my boot! The scoutmaster ended up having to cut the boot off but it still wiggled the thorn and hurt like a SOB. My mom wasn't altogether happy that my new boots were ruined either. I still have a hard knot and what appears to be a wart where the puncture was even 30 years later.


----------



## danrclem (Nov 12, 2010)

I hates them thar honey locust trees!. I cut every one of 'em down that I can find on my place but they keep right on a growin' in different places. Those blasted things have flattened more than a few front tractor tires for me.


----------



## Wood Doctor (Nov 12, 2010)

I have a honey locust tree growing in my front yard with no thorns at all and very few pods, if any. It is healthy and shades the whole yard. At age 25, it's a nice tree and disease free. Fast growing, yes, but the wood it produces is as dense as most oaks.

Looks like there are several varieties. Some say that thorns grow on the black locust tree but not on the honey locust.


----------



## SWI Don (Nov 12, 2010)

We got up here in Iowa too. Dad's place is overrun by them. I took a big one down one morning a couple of weekends ago along with a dozen little ones. I was clearing a tree out of the corn field so it could be harvested. I guess that was the first firewood of the season.

Don


----------



## Diesel nut (Nov 13, 2010)

Yea I thought the black locust had the thorns too. We have plenty of them where I live in central Iowa. I farm with my dad and we have many fields with those pita trees growing around the edge of the field. I'll have to try that blow torch method too... or just use the bulldozer to knock it down at least.


----------



## turnkey4099 (Nov 13, 2010)

Diesel nut said:


> Yea I thought the black locust had the thorns too. We have plenty of them where I live in central Iowa. I farm with my dad and we have many fields with those pita trees growing around the edge of the field. I'll have to try that blow torch method too... or just use the bulldozer to knock it down at least.



Black Locust - small thorns (less than an inch long) on young wood only - anything over a few years old will not have the thorns.

Honey Locust - thornless - several varieties of those and are nice trees. Have huge pods. I planted a row of them 30 years but discovered last year that one of then had grown those nasty thorns. Tree met chainsaw the same day.

Honey Locust - thorny - long, vicious thorns growing in clumps all over the tree. I even saw a dinosaur documentary the other day that showed what looked like those things growing way back then. Dunno if that was artistic invention or if that species did grow back then. 

Harry K


----------



## Roofgunner (Nov 13, 2010)

*Locust trees*

Thanks for all the responses. I'll bet many people read all these posts and did not make response because they wanted to steer clear of this thorny subject and I don't blame them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## danrclem (Nov 13, 2010)

Wood Doctor said:


> Looks like there are several varieties. Some say that thorns grow on the black locust tree but not on the honey locust.



I've saw honey locust trees without thorns but the most of them around here have the big thorns. It could be two different varities like you're saying. 

All of the thorns on the black locust that I have seen have spur type thorns in the new growth of the trees. They don't look nearly as intimidating as the honey locust thorns but they'll still get ya.


----------



## turnkey4099 (Nov 13, 2010)

danrclem said:


> I've saw honey locust trees without thorns but the most of them around here have the big thorns. It could be two different varities like you're saying.
> 
> All of the thorns on the black locust that I have seen have spur type thorns in the new growth of the trees. They don't look nearly as intimidating as the honey locust thorns but they'll still get ya.



Yep. BL is the only species I wear gloves while brushing out and I still get my share of sticks. And, yes, they also seem to haves some kind of poison the way they hurt.

Harry K


----------



## iowa (Nov 13, 2010)

I'm originally from Iowa and never came in contact with a honey locust until I moved to Southern Mo.. I can say they are a PITA!!!

My co worker says to take a pump sprayer and fill it with diesel fuel. Spray the honey locust with it until it's dripping wet. Set fire. Come back next day and cut. 

I bought 25 black locust trees from my conservation office this spring and planted them 10' apart on my south lot line. Along with some pin oak and white oak. My neighbor is alsa a PITA. He's lucky I didn't plant honey locust!


----------



## turnkey4099 (Nov 14, 2010)

iowa said:


> I'm originally from Iowa and never came in contact with a honey locust until I moved to Southern Mo.. I can say they are a PITA!!!
> 
> My co worker says to take a pump sprayer and fill it with diesel fuel. Spray the honey locust with it until it's dripping wet. Set fire. Come back next day and cut.
> 
> I bought 25 black locust trees from my conservation office this spring and planted them 10' apart on my south lot line. Along with some pin oak and white oak. My neighbor is alsa a PITA. He's lucky I didn't plant honey locust!



That's ok. The BL likes to copse like crazy and will spread over on his ground 

Harry K


----------



## James Haury (Aug 20, 2013)

Roofgunner said:


> Thanks for all the responses. I'll bet many people read all these posts and did not make response because they wanted to steer clear of this thorny subject and I don't blame them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



If you replace the locusts with other trees the fruit of the serviceberry AKA saskatoon is delicious.


----------



## cre10 (Aug 20, 2013)

Is it crazy that I have a couple deer stands in these trees?


----------



## philoshop (Aug 20, 2013)

My property is almost all Black Locust. No thorns at all. Great firewood, and three treestands.
My brother is 12 miles away and has honey locust with no thorns. Again, great firewood.
My cousin is 25 miles away on my grandfather's old farm and has BL that is full of thorns and poison ivy, and he'd love to have me cut them. I wrestled with them yearly as a kid trying to help my granddad keep the place clean, and I don't have any desire to do that again.
Must be different sub-species or something.
BTW, welcome to AS James.


----------



## cre10 (Aug 20, 2013)

I grew tired of cutting them by hand


----------



## Anejo (Aug 20, 2013)

iowa said:


> My co worker says to take a pump sprayer and fill it with diesel fuel. Spray the honey locust with it until it's dripping wet. Set fire. Come back next day and cut.



What does the diesel bath do?

NM - just saw the "set fire"


----------



## cre10 (Aug 20, 2013)

Tordon is too expensive. I mix 1 part Remedy with 3 parts diesel to kill stumps.


----------



## Cheesecutter (Aug 20, 2013)

View attachment 310615
View attachment 310616
View attachment 310617
A couple pics if you aren't familiar with "thorny locust" as they're called in this area.


----------



## zogger (Aug 20, 2013)

cre10 said:


> I grew tired of cutting them by hand



cheat, cheat and more YOU SUCK cheatin'!!!

That thing rocks just lookin at it!


----------



## olyman (Aug 21, 2013)

I just knock em down,,and with a small hatchet,,and a 5 gal pail, with leather gloves, walk along the tree, clip em off,,and throw in pail. then throw those, on top of brush pile, and light..


----------



## psuiewalsh (Aug 21, 2013)

They are here in PA actually. We have several on my parents property with long thorns and maroon seed pods.


----------



## greendohn (Aug 21, 2013)

*If you have the time,,*

Cut a ring around them a couple inches deep, down near the ground and come back next year. Most of the thorns and bark will have fallen off or just brush the thorns off with a gloved hand. The thorns are full of vengeance and will still try to poke you. I have 6 or 8 of them in the woods I "ringed" last year. I have used this technique in the past with success.


----------



## turnkey4099 (Aug 21, 2013)

greendohn said:


> Cut a ring around them a couple inches deep, down near the ground and come back next year. Most of the thorns and bark will have fallen off or just brush the thorns off with a gloved hand. The thorns are full of vengeance and will still try to poke you. I have 6 or 8 of them in the woods I "ringed" last year. I have used this technique in the past with success.



How long does it take those vicious thorns to rot after they are on the ground? I had a "Thornless H.L" revert to type and cut it down many years ago. Just had another flat on my trailer the other day. Not sure it was due to a thorn but I went for over 30 years with very few flats. Since I cut that down the rate has been at least 1/yr with "thorn" as the diagnosis.

Harry K


----------



## blades (Aug 21, 2013)

well it like this Harry I know of fence poles of locust that my great great grandad put in, son of a guns are still there. That was in the late 1800's


----------



## olyman (Aug 21, 2013)

greendohn said:


> Cut a ring around them a couple inches deep, down near the ground and come back next year. Most of the thorns and bark will have fallen off or just brush the thorns off with a gloved hand. The thorns are full of vengeance and will still try to poke you. I have 6 or 8 of them in the woods I "ringed" last year. I have used this technique in the past with success.



the ones I took down last winter,,,i didnt have that option..found out about them one week,,three weeks later,,the dozer moved in.......:msp_w00t:


----------



## BrokenToys (Aug 21, 2013)

BRB, I need to add another item to my zombie apocalypse fortress


----------



## HD2010 (Aug 21, 2013)

We use Glyphosate and water 50/50 after we cut them down.




cre10 said:


> Tordon is too expensive. I mix 1 part Remedy with 3 parts diesel to kill stumps.


----------



## Vermonster (Aug 21, 2013)

That's one nasty looking tree. I think I'd just girdle them well and leave them be for a couple years.


----------



## HD2010 (Aug 21, 2013)

We do close to the same thing. Girdle twice and spray cuts with Glyphosate and water 50/50. I also have several dead ones on my list this for this year.




greendohn said:


> Cut a ring around them a couple inches deep, down near the ground and come back next year. Most of the thorns and bark will have fallen off or just brush the thorns off with a gloved hand. The thorns are full of vengeance and will still try to poke you. I have 6 or 8 of them in the woods I "ringed" last year. I have used this technique in the past with success.


----------



## Eric Modell (Aug 21, 2013)

Be careful if you girdle and do not spray. We have girdled several that sproutd many new trees from the roots. They shure are bad news.


----------



## Ronaldo (Aug 22, 2013)

Eric Modell said:


> Be careful if you girdle and do not spray. We have girdled several that sproutd many new trees from the roots. They shure are bad news.



I have tried to do the girdling or ringing trick , too, and ended up with the tree just sprouting up a bunch of new suckers from the root. They certainly are weeds!
Now we always incorporate some kind of herbicide after the cut. Tordon works quite well.:msp_wink:

Ron


----------



## Vermonster (Aug 22, 2013)

Ronaldo said:


> I have tried to do the girdling or ringing trick , too, and ended up with the tree just sprouting up a bunch of new suckers from the root. They certainly are weeds!
> Now we always incorporate some kind of herbicide after the cut. Tordon works quite well.:msp_wink:
> 
> Ron



Yeah, I agree after giving it a little more thought. Put the herbicide to it. That thorny stuff reminds me of buckthorn that I fight with every time I start doing chores. 

Put dye in the mixture so you know you've hit the stump, especially if you're cutting on a scale.


----------



## Cloud IT (Aug 22, 2013)

Cheesecutter said:


> View attachment 310615
> View attachment 310616
> View attachment 310617
> A couple pics if you aren't familiar with "thorny locust" as they're called in this area.



This looks nothing like the locust that we cut on a regular basis. Not just the lack of those thorns but the bark itself is much different.

The locust we cut has thorns but it's like thorns on a rose bush or briar bush. I would be interested to know if that is even a similar species or just two trees that happen to have the same name.


----------



## hdp (Aug 22, 2013)

ring them the year before


----------



## blades (Aug 22, 2013)

black locust , honey locust, subvarients of honey locust, African locust, one that starts with a M and the Cabo? not really a locust but close cousin.


----------

