Family: CAESALPINIACEAE
This moderately fast growing, long lived legume is native to North America and requires a rainfall of 425 - 1500 mm for good growth. It also has a good survival up to altitude 2100 m. It often attains heights of 24 m (up to 30 m), with trunk diameters of 60 - 90 cm. Its deep root system makes it capable of withstanding drought. It is tolerant of both alkaline and acid soils and also of salt. Being a deciduous tree, it allows light through in winter months, to pasture or other understorey. Mature trees are resistant to frost.
Branches generally form thorns which protect them from ring barking by stock. Some thornless cultivars do exist, although seedlings of those may revert back to thorns. Pigs, sheep, cattle and goats all readily feed on the honey locust pods which fall from the female trees in autumn.
Nutritive analysis of honey locust pods: protein - 14.3 - 16%; sugar - 15.5 - 26.5% carbohydrate - 60.5%; fat - 7.5%; calcium - 0.2%; iron - 0.0038%; nitrogen free extract - 60.8%; crude fibre -18.4%; ash - 4.7%. They are said to be superior to oats as a stock feed. By year 12 a yield of 9 t/ha/yr can be expected at a density of 36 trees/ha, 18 t/ha/yr by year 15 and mature groves have reached yields of around 50 to 60 t/ha/yr in selected plantings in North America. The pods can also be used for human food and alcohol fuel production.
The timber is hard, heavy and strong, and the heartwood is reported to last 100 years untreated in the ground. It is a good furniture timber. The tree coppices freely and suckers from damaged roots. It is a good fuelwood.
Propagating the tree from seed is very similar to that of carob although the honey locust can also be propagated by transplanting root suckers.