Honey Locust

The canopy of this tree shows that it used to be larger with all the broken branches.

One of the sure ways to recognise Honey Locust is by the thorns on the twigs.

Leaf stem left from the summer. Also the buds are encased by the bark of the twig.

Here is some sap seeping out of the bark.

Thorns growing from the base of the tree is another good way to recognise a Honey Locust.

Here is a photo showing the base of the tree and bark.

Broken branches. Many Black locust trees are susceptible to wind damage.

The Lord is good, His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.

Father I look to You for truth and goodness that You always give.

James 1:17 "Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow."

Honey Locust Seed Pods

Honey Locust

The forboding canopy of Honey Locust

Honey Locust makes a good Barrier

The Honey locust tree is a barrier to access. There have been a few times I have put my hand up to a tree to rest. As the thorn stuck my hand. It doesn't happen much any more. I have learned my lesson.

Honey Locust

A few days later after the visit of the Honey locust in yesterdays post I went back to observe this tree more closely. Notice the bark curls from the side. This is a common characteristic of Honey locusts.

Here is the base of the tree and it seems to me that in earlier days this was 2 trees growing side by side.

Here is new thorn growth. There is no stiffness to these thorns yet.

Old Honey Locust

This is the largest Honey locust I have found in my hiking. It looks like 2 trees grown together.

Circumferance 142.1"

Canopy 81' & 52'

Height 63.7'

Total points 227.5

Broken Honey Locust

I found this Honey locust at a nearby park.

The bowl of the tree did not have any thorns though the branches did.

The base of the tree was swolen.

Circumference 97.4

Canopy 43' and 35' = 9.8

Height 66.2

Total points 173.4

Honey Locust/Heart Rot

Heart rot in Honey Locust.

Habitat Holes

Fallen branches from Honey locust create habitat holes.

Honey Locust Fall Color

Honey locust Covered with Lickens

On one of my lunch hikes I came across this Honey locust tree. I have never seen a bowl of a tree covered as completely as this tree is by likens.


Job 13:15
"Though He slay me,
I will hope in Him.
Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him."

Trumpet Vine

Trumpet vine growing on Honey locust tree.

Very invasive plant and hard to get rid of.

Judges 6:5
"They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts. It was impossible to count the men and their camels; they invaded the land to ravage it."

Honey Locust Sappling

On one of my lunch hikes I came across this Honey locust sapling. For some reason I have not been seeing this tree in its young stage. I usually find mature Honey locust in a forest with a lot of vines growing around it. Mature bark curls on the side edges.


The trademark thorns make it easy to ID.


Honey locust / Gleditsia triacanthos

The wood is durable, hard and good for shock resistance.


Nehemiah 4:9
"But we prayed to our God, and because of them we set up a guard against them day and night."

Honey Locust Thorns

I always am impressed by the thorns on Honey locust. Walking off trail, I came upon this tree at a top of a small rise. So I shot this photo at the base of the tree looking up.

Wikipedia states the thorns were used as nails in the past.



Matthew 27:29
"And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand; and they knelt down before Him and mocked Him, saying, " Hail, King of the Jews!"

Honey locust & Greenbriar Tendril

Here is a photo of a greenbriar tendril grabbing hold of a Honey locust thorn.

The Honey locust seems to try to defend itself with thorns, but its useless against the greenbriar.

Tuesday October 3rd Watkins Mill MO State Park

I go to the lake shore near sunset. 3 ducks flew over. A Great blue heron landed in a dead tree to the west. A turkey vulture landed behind me and is rustling his feathers.

Clouds are orange. Air plane exhaust streaks can be seen going in 4 different directions. A train whistle can be heard in the distance.

The lake is still in the cove where I'm sitting. Out in the main body of water I can tell there is a little breeze. The tops of the trees are moving a little but now they are still.(Yes there was close to a full moon.)

A fish splashes about 30' to my right. The bat I saw last week is out catching bugs as it flies 20' in the air just off the lake shore.

Now the orange is off the sky and its blue gray. Clouds are in the western ½ of the sky.

A couple of fish splash in the water 3 or 4 birds chip, chip can be heard. A cow moos twice.

10 geese honk as they come in and splash land 100 yards in front of me.

The Great blue heron continues to watch from his perch on the dead tree. The turkey vulture continues to ruffle his feathers behind me.

A lot of fish are hitting the water now. It is getting hard to see to write.

The bat is still working the sky at about 20'.

The heron stretches his neck out and makes 4 deep guttural calls.

The night bugs are sounding in force. I can't see the lines on my paper. So I head back to my camp.

Wednesday morning 4 October Watkins Mill MO state park

7 small ducks on water. I can't see any ID marks. The gull I have been seeing has black wing tips. So it puts it to the ring billed gull or the herring gull.

I saw another Turkey vulture convention. They gather in the early morning and fly around in a mob for a short time then disperse to their areas.

I think of Colossians 1 in the Bible. It talks about all power if that wasn't enough it is according to God's glorious might. Which is unlimited. God has promised us so much. We need to acquire it by the prayer of faith. Just as there is so much to learn of nature and enjoy. God has so much for us. Go to Him, He wishes to lavish on us abundant life.

Honey locust leaves are 80% down. Last week it was just a few vines and sumac that had changed colors. Now there is a lot of color. What a difference a week makes. The Paw paws are bright yellow. They are a great tree for color. Honey locust leaves are raining down as I write.

Photo of Osage orange striking yellow green combination with an orange tree in the background. The background tree is a Pignut hickory. End buds less than 1/2” tight bark 5-7 leaflets. It is the best fall color tree I have seen today.

Vines Growing up Vines of Honey Locust

Honey Locust Gleditsia triacanthos alway seems to have vines growing up the trunk.

Honey locust thorns

First fall color

Photos taken 20-Sep-06 at Watkins Mill State Park on the hourse trail.



Poison ivy growing in a Honey locust tree. One of the first to turn color in the fall.











Here is a close up of poison ivy. Notice the white fruit cluster in the background center of the picture