locust Update

there's actually quite a bit of it in the adirondacks, but it's further north than where you are, it's often found around rivers and lakes in the wild in mixed hardwood stands, lots of it like this straight and tall around the saranac, ausable and around lyon mountain lakes and streams in the northern adirondacks.

Todd said:

My Black locust is light also. But I think it has been dead for a quite awhile and there were carpenter ants inside some of it. I tried sticking my moisture meter into some splits, and the stuff is hard as a rock. Now you guys got me wondering if this really is black locust?

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THAT IS BLACK LOCUST.

tradergordo said:

Its NATIVE range only goes as far north as Pennsylvania, however it is currently growing in all 48 continental states including Maine. Its a pretty vigorous tree that can grow under diverse conditions. Unfortunately for you, Massachusetts is THE ONLY state that specifically PROHIBITS black locust imports/planting despite the fact that it is already growing in every county in your state except for one (an island). To control the brush you would need to mow or weed wack around the trees occasionally, or just pinch/twist/cut new shoots as they pop up.

Gooserider said:

Sounds like cool stuff - does anyone know if it will grow in northern MA? (I figure zone 5?)

The GF's property has lots of swamp maples on it that I'm gradually taking down, (many of them are not real healthy) and I wouldn't mind planting something that is a better burning replacement tree...

However you mention it growing into a thorny bush if left alone - what do you need to do to stop that?

Gooserider

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It figures... Mass. is a pain in lots of ways, this is just one more...

Gooserider

If you saw any seed pods near the wood, it might tell you if you have black locust or honey (false) locust.

Black locust has smaller seed pods that are about 2 - 4 inches long and pretty standard looking (like big brown snow peas, see pic in next post).

Honey locust seed pods, on the other hand, get really long and are strangely twisted. I have one inside as a conversation piece. Sort of weird looking. It's about 16 inches long (see: pic). You can shake the seed pod and it rattles like a primitive musical instrument.

Without those pods, I can't tell which is which.

I believe I mostly have honey locust around here. I'm not certain I've seen a real black locust tree around here, but I suspect there are some.

Here's a black locust seed pod (see: pic).

Black locust was brought up to NY from VA on a ship in 1700 - they have the manifest. It was a very popular quick growing wood for posts and timber, and as mentioned small ship masts. Farmers would plant a grove on the birth of a daughter for her dowry.

It's pretty skinny for it's deep furrows. You might see nasty thorns on the lower, young shoots, but not on past 10 feet or so. I'm told by an arborist that it'll rot in 7 years as a post if you do not remove the bark. It'll last 100 if you do. I have some fence posts on my property still standing that are at least from the 30's and the house sits, like many in the area, on locust posts (1915).

It is very invasive and will take over hedgerows and any "pioneer" growth area. It's very good at driving out oak, hickory, cherry, elm, etc. ecologically, nasty stuff. Cut and burn! BTW: norway maple is the same list.

I took a terrific tree course this morning so now I'm a bloody tree genius. CT and MA are pushing to totally eradicate it. We walked a solid mile of it in the forest to get to the 'good' trees.

The ranger said, "kill it all."
I replied, "oh, reeeeally."

Mo Heat said:

Here's a black locust seed pod (see: pic).

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Mo - maybe its just an odd picture but that doesn't look like the black locust I'm used to seeing. The images from google image search on "black locust" look more like what I'm used to. Here's a good close up of an opened pod courtesy of Rutgers:
http://njaes.rutgers.edu/images/photos/harmfulplants/large/blacklocustseeds.jpg

Leaves look like this:
http://www.gypsymoth.ento.vt.edu/vagm/Treeimages/locust_black_leaves.jpeg

tru.dat^^

Mo's tree is something else.

I concur, or maybe I just agree, Gordo's Rutgers pics are the real deal. Mo, What's dat you got dere anyhow? Might be a black locust on steriods!

The weird, twisted pod is from a Honey Locust. That's mostly what I see around here.