# Black/Honey Locust Identification



## nswood (Dec 8, 2020)

Hi Everyone,

I had some locust slabs milled today and there is some debate on the species, black locust or honey locust. I have never worked with either so I don’t have a clue. Is there anyone here who can ID this for me?

Thanks!


----------



## djg (Dec 24, 2009)

Not the greatest photo of the grain; can't really see color. But the end grain and bark looks like Bk Locust to me.


----------



## nswood (Dec 8, 2020)

Sorry about the photos, I’ve never been great with a camera. The wood is greenish, yellow. my hands where stained yellow after handing it when it was first cut.


----------



## nswood (Dec 8, 2020)

I’m out finally getting to seal the ends now, it’s a very narrow band of sap wood. Maybe 2 or 3 years


----------



## djg (Dec 24, 2009)

Yes Bk Locust is bright yellow when fresh cut so that staining is to be expected. If memory serves me, same thing happened to my gloves.


----------



## Outpost22 (Nov 8, 2020)

That looks like black locust. Honey locust is actually a different genus if we are using the same common names of the trees. Black Locust has the rough bark and is from the genus Robinia. Honey locust is from the genus Gleditsia. It has relatively smooth-ish bark. Hope this helps you.


----------



## yomanbill (Jul 7, 2020)

If you can find a thorn, you can tell the difference immediately. Honey Locust (Gleditsia) has a multii-point thorn. Also, note the relatively smooth bark in the thorn photo.


----------



## David Nickell (Jul 6, 2020)

Thorns are the key. Honey locust is the only tree in this part of the world with thorns on the trunk. Water locust has thorns on the limbs--locals just call them "thorn trees" and there is no telling how many tractor tires I've had go flat from them.

Black locust is also a very good source of honey for the bees when they bloom. You have to be careful what time of year a black locust is cut. I know a man that cut black locust for poles to support a shed on the side of his barn. The next spring the poles sprouted! They are very resistant to rot if cut at the right time of year. If you cut them when the sap is up, they rot fairly quickly.


----------



## nswood (Dec 8, 2020)

Thank you everyone for the info. No thorns on this tree, and after looking at yomanbill’s photo above it seems pretty apparent that it’s black locust. The bark was quite rough and furrowed on the larger logs.


----------



## Outpost22 (Nov 8, 2020)

yomanbill said:


> If you can find a thorn, you can tell the difference immediately. Honey Locust (Gleditsia) has a multii-point thorn. Also, note the relatively smooth bark in the thorn photo.


Of note is the Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis. No thorns. So thorns are not always an indicator of this species but are surely distinctive when seen. I have a thornless one outside my office window I look at every day.


----------



## Ajohnson (Dec 21, 2020)

yomanbill said:


> If you can find a thorn, you can tell the difference immediately. Honey Locust (Gleditsia) has a multii-point thorn. Also, note the relatively smooth bark in the thorn photo.


ouch


----------



## Peter Collin (Apr 15, 2020)

I just finished building a garden swing out of black locust, so I can say with some certainty that your wood is B.L. it is a bit on the warpy/splitty side, so I see why you don't see locust lumber available most places. But I wanted that rot resistance for my outdoor furniture.


----------

