Honey Locusts?

[rarefish383]

Locust do have a mild poison in them. Even Black Locust thorns will cause you to fester up and turn red more so than other thorns. An old high school buddy used to climb for us. He was still in the Navy reserves at the time. He also ran around with a lot of girls. A few days after taking down a bunch of Black Locusts his wrists broke out in red, festering sores. He never made the conection. I told him the last cheap Ho he was running with gave him syphilis. He got all worried and went to the Navy doctor. Man was he P/Oed at me when he got back. The doctor told him it was just from the thorns, Joe.

 

[Mike1974]

Kind of funny.

It only makes sense that tree that badass would also be poisonous.

 

[excess650]

I don't have any black locust large enogh to even consider milling. I have seen some as large as 36" DBH, or maybe even a bit larger, but they are a rarity.

My own property has a lot of standing dead black locust. Apparently they were out grown by the tulip poplars and died when eclipsed by the much higher canopy.

 

[Mike1974]

I have the came case on the southeast part of my property - The tulips just took over completely ...so I have a number of fairly large standing dead.

Another spot on the property, where I have fewer tulips, is loaded with locust.

I'm going to be more careful around them now, knowing they might be poisonous.

 

[rarefish383]

What ever the toxin in them is, it's very mild. If a thorn breaks off under the skin on me it will fester up and come out quicker than a splinter or other thorn will. My friend in the story above, and one other climber we had, both had rather severe reactions to the thorns were both very heavy drinkers. I think their imune systems were weakened by their alcoholism. If you are basically healthy I don't think you need to worry. I never pass up Locust for fire wood and get scratched all the time with no ill affect, Joe.

 

[Ol' Brian]

I have the came case on the southeast part of my property - The tulips just took over completely ...so I have a number of fairly large standing dead.

Another spot on the property, where I have fewer tulips, is loaded with locust.

I'm going to be more careful around them now, knowing they might be poisonous.

Just maintain a healthy respect for those thorns...

My temporary paralysis was when I was just a little kid, 2nd grade I think. That thorn went deep into the palm of my hand. I've been poked a few times by the thorns as an adult, with no ill effects. Just wear good boots, and leather gloves, and take your time.

 

[00juice]

I milled some honey locust a little while back. The slabs are 3" thick, 24" wide. Dried outside for 2 years, moved inside the shop, surfaced and stacked to continue drying. They are beautiful slabs. I'm going to be building a rustic table from them for someone soon. I'll definately mill the honey locust again.

 

[WadePatton]

'round here. the honey locust has the big red, multi-pointed thorns growing all over-including the trunk.

black only has single spine thorns on new growth--much like bodock.

honey locust makes pretty wood. and isn't nearly as hard as black.

i regularly cut old dead black locust and even though 20-30% of the wood will be doaty, it's well worth getting the sound pieces. besides, a little rot speeds up the splitting.

always mill the honey and make posts/heater wood out of the black.

honey

black

honey

oh honey you shouldn't have:

chair stolen from: http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/Characteristics_of_Honeylocust_Wood.html

where there's more good info.

 

[PA Plumber]

Here's a pic from a while ago. Some of the thorns were over 14" long.

Took this one down and a few others. They are now seasoning.

 

[PA Plumber]

Guess I should also mention, I have split some of the wood from the trees similar to the picture.

There are full thorns in the inside of the rounds. This stuff just doesn't quit!

 

[WadePatton]

i suppose if i had access to much of it, i'd polesaw an access point. limb and "bark" with polesaw for bucks, and then drag it an extra mile or to before putting it into the saw pile.

i was trimming up a bodock the other day and backed onto a honeylocust that i didn't even know was there. bled the toxin out i suppose, no "extra" pain or complications.

hey which reminds me, i've got a wicked thorned small tree taking over my fallow garden. look for photo id contest tomorrow. this crap is worse than osage afik. and i _will_saw/dig/burn/poison the crap into submission...