Honey Locust (Gleditsia triancanthos)

Family: Bean (Fabaceae)

Common Names: Thorny Locust, Common Honeylocust, Sweet Locust

The honey locust is a fast-growing tree with a spreading crown, often identified in the wild by its smooth, sharp, branched thorns on the trunk and branches. A thornless variety is commonly cultivated in urban areas as a shade tree. In natural stands honeylocust attains a height of 70 to 80 ft.

The wood of honeylocust possesses many desirable qualities but is little used due to its relative scarcity. There are few commercial growers or loggers, although there are honeylocust plantations in eastern Nebraska. The sapwood is generally wide and yellowish in contrast to the reddish-brown heartwood, providing an attractive grain. The wood is dense, very heavy, very hard, strong in bending, stiff, resistant to shock, and is durable when in contact with soil.

Honeylocust is used locally for fence posts, and also as lumber for pallets, crating, and general construction. As far as we can determine, it is not used in commercial cabinetmaking, but has been used locally for custom cabinets.

Locust wood is hard and not easy to machine. It dulls edged tools readily. The well-figured wood resembles hickory, but the sapwood is more yellow and the heartwood is not as dark on average. It holds screws well and finishes very well. Makes attractive and very strong cabinets and furniture.

Trestle table in Honey Locust by Kastengren Handcrafted Furniture.