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Honey Locust
(Gleditsia triacanthos)
Plant Distribution
The honey locust is a non-nitrogen fixing member of the legume family.
Height:
The tree can grow from 20-30 meters tall and its width can span 4 to 14 meters.
Leaf and Bark Type
The leaves are long compound and compound and have leaflets that give the foliage a lacey effect. They are bright green and turn yellow in autum. The bark of the honey locust is dark red-brown and fairly smooth; on older trees it breaks up into long, thin, flat, longitudinal ridges with curled edges.
Where does it grow and in what conditions:
This tree can tolerate urban conditions, compacted soil, road salt, alkaline soil, heat and drought(perfect for the Texas Tech campus). This is one reason the tree is also considered a weed in the agricultural industry.
Pollinators & Seed Dispersal:
Insects pollinate the white, medium sized, clustered flowers that grow from the Honey Locust tree. The seeds are dispersed by animals. The seeds are eaten by animals and digested, which helps assist in breaking down the hard seed coat and making germination easier. The animals eat the seed and then may travel a short distance before they are removed via the digestive system in manure which also helps in fertilization.
Fruit:
The fruit of the honey locust is a flat legume (pod) that matures in early autumn. They are between 15-20 cm long and the pulp on the inside is edible.
Uses
Native Americans used the legume pulp for food but it could also be fermented for beer. Since it takes a long time to rot it is used mainly for posts and rails, but not for furniture. The thorns can also be used as nails.
GPS location
Submitted by Clifton and Yarbrough
Citations:
https://www.extension.iastate.edu/forestry/iowa_trees/trees/honeylocust.html
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/PLANTS/honeylocust.html
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