Thorny Honey Locust Sighting in Connecticut.

One thing i enjoy about FHC is seeing the different species of trees in other areas of the country that arent around me. Ive driven by this large honey locust three days now on my way to the job and today noticed its girth. Having watched The Wood Wolverine processing that HUGE HL i decided to stop. Tree nerd in me couldnt resist.
38" DBH with thorns. First time ive ever seen one in person and didnt think they existed in my state. The thornless hybrid variety are very common mostly as commercial landscape trees. Im guessing it was planted here before the thornless variety was developed??? Id say its 60-75 years old.
Hats off to you guys that harvest it for firewood.

 

Wow Brad. Some serious spines on that tree. I didn’t realize how large the thorns were or that the trees got that big What a great way to keep trespassers off your property

 

Unless the trespassers are inquisitive tree nerds!

It was cool. Very easy to find. Immediately off exit 13 on 91. Ill get seed pods for you next time.

 

That's them! Those suckers are frickin ruthless! I had one go through a sole of my shoe and into my foot. They do cut off good, but a man has to be careful until they're all removed. I'm glad most of ours are thornless.

If honey locust wasn't such good firewood and the best we have out here, besides a bit of black locust, I wouldn't mess with it, but I just can't resist. Lol

 

Most of ours around town were planted in the 60's to 70's.

 

Those thorns really make for a difficult situation, at least it seems it would. I've heard they can go through tractor tires.

As soon as I cut out 100% of the rot on the monster I'm working, I'll count rings.

Very few woods weigh more, wet.

 

Apparently, back in the day, they were used as nails. At least that's what I read. But yeah, those would easily poke through a tire.

 

I've grabbed a bunch of thorny HL around here. It burns like a striped azz gorilla. I'll fight the thorns for it. It's pretty easy to just rake them off with a chainsaw.

 

That’s one mad looking tree.

 

We drive by that area almost weekly! I need to slow down and take a closer look at that tree.

 

I take it that "striped azz gorillas" burn pretty hot? More so than the other sub species....?

 

Have you ever had any flying thorns pierce or stick in clothing?

 

PETA has entered the room.

 

Yes they do...when I worked at the bike shop we repaired ATV tires with thorns in them pretty regularly...they were good for business!

 

Yes, it’s best to use the top side of the bar to throw them away from yourself.

 

Do you know if there is a chart to determine age based on dbh? I did some quick googling and it didnt have HL on the chart.

I pulled in the parking lot. Didnt realize it had thorns until i got closer.

 

Id be with you cutting it up, thorns or no thorns. Rare score around here as i have to scrounge for it.

 

It's about the only hard wood we have out here.

 

I’ve never searched for a chart like that.
Loading those blocks made me wonder. You were discussing heaviest wet wood a while ago somewhere. I’ve cut lots of SBH but nothing large enough to noodle. That wood is heavy and dense! This log I started noodling where I would have normally and ended up having to cut those in half. It’s no joke.

 

Ha ha. Just a funny expression my dad always uses when something is really good.