Honey locust

Profile

Family

Fabaceae

Habit

Tree

Height

20 m

Spread

14 m

Growth

fast

Lifespan

120 years

First yield

after 10 years

Hardiness

zone 4–9

Shade tolerance

full sun

Soil

Sand, Silt, Loam

Soil moisture

very dry – moist

pH

6 – 8

Synonyms

Honigdorn, Lederhülsenbaum

Flowering & harvest

Times apply to the northern hemisphere in a temperate climate and shift with altitude and cultivar.

Uses

Edible: Seeds can be consumed raw or cooked and may have a sugar content of up to 30%. When young, the seeds taste similar to raw peas. They are typically found in regions with long, hot summers. The oval seeds are approximately 8 mm in length and contain varying amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, ash, calcium, and phosphorus per 100 g. These seeds have been roasted and utilized as a coffee alternative. The flesh of seed pods is sweet and can be eaten raw or processed into sugar. Young seed pods are edible when cooked, but the flesh in mature pods turns bitter. The seed pods, which can grow up to 40 cm long and 4 cm wide, can be used to create a sweet and savory beverage. The seed pulp has also been employed in beverage production.

Medicinal: The honey locust pods are brewed into a tea for various health issues such as indigestion, measles, and colds. The pod juice is known for its antiseptic properties, particularly effective for children's ailments. An alcoholic extract derived from honey locust fruit exhibited tumor growth inhibition, albeit with significant cytotoxic effects leading to organ damage and weight loss. The bark of the honey locust was traditionally used as a remedy for indigestion and other conditions like whooping cough, measles, and smallpox. Chemicals found in the twigs and leaves of the honey locust, such as gledichin and stenocarpine, have medicinal properties. Stenocarpine acts as a local anesthetic, while gledichin induces drowsiness and reduces reflex activity. Ongoing studies are exploring the potential of honey locust leaves in developing new anticancer medications.

Other uses: The plant is grown on mining waste for land restoration. The seeds' gum can replace acacia and tragacanth. The heartwood has 4–4.8% tannin and is durable, coarse-grained, elastic, very hard, and highly resistant to soil. It is commonly used for fence posts, rails, wheel hubs, agricultural tools, and construction, weighing 42 pounds per cubic foot.

Growing

The honey tree can thrive in various soil types, whether acidic or alkaline, as long as they have good drainage. It prefers a sunny location, can withstand drought and air pollution once it has grown, and is salt-tolerant, enduring temperatures as low as -30°C when mature. Cultivated in warm temperate regions, the honey tree is valued for its edible seeds and pods. It starts bearing fruit around the age of 10 and remains productive for approximately a century, with wild specimens rarely exceeding 120 years. Due to cooler summers, it generally does not yield significant harvests in the region. Some cultivated varieties like 'Ashworth' offer pods with exceptionally sweet, melon-like flesh. The tree's fragrant flowers attract bees, adding to its ornamental value with a light canopy that suits forestry purposes. Known for their resistance to honey fungus, plants in this genus are prized for their durability. Unlike other plants in its family, honey trees do not naturally fix atmospheric nitrogen.

Propagation

Seeds - Soak in warm water for 24 hours and then plant in a greenhouse during the spring season. If the seed swells, it's ready for planting; if not, soak for another 24 hours. If needed, gently remove part of the seed coat without harming the embryo. After further soaking, the seed should swell. Once swollen, germination should occur within 2-4 weeks at 20°C. When the seedlings are large enough, transfer them to individual deep pots and place them in their final location in the summer. Provide some cold protection for the plants in their initial winters outdoors.

Notable

Special features: drought + salt + pollutant tolerant + heat-loving; belongs to the carob family (sometimes there is a conflicting opinion as to whether G. triacanthos fixes nitrogen or not) Some seedlings come without thorns, grafting is possible. Possible harvest of 75kg per tree according to: Wilson, A.A. 1993. Silvopastoral agroforestry using honeylocust

Origin & habitat

Eastern North America. Sometimes found growing naturally in parts of Central and Southern Europe.

Unknown in its natural habitat.

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