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The Protein-Carbohydrate Energy Feed Tree for Livestock
Its safe to say every town in the midwest and northeast uses them for street trees. Their lack of leaf litter, the abilility to tolerate air and soil pollution, provide just the right of amount of shade to keep grass growing, plus forgiving to the craziest whackmaster-tree trimmers make this an ideal plant. The wood is extremely hard similar to beech. What people don't realize is the fruitful selections, of which there are relatively few, have drawn attention from farmers who have been experimenting with "two story agriculture" as promoted by J. Russel Smith in his groundbreaking book, "Tree Crops: A Permanent Agriculture." The sugary pods were found to be a valuable supplement when fed to cows and sheep.
Today a small industry exists in New Zealand using honeylocust as a mast tree for livestock. The Native Americans were well aware of this trees "energy" and made a sweet drink from the pulp of the pods. Remember - these plants are nitrogen fixing and honeylocust benefits other species of plants within its root zone. Honeylocusts are usually self fertile.
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Chinese Honeylocust — Gleditsia sinensis
This species of honeylocust is widely used in Chinese herbology and has a 2000 year history as a detergent. The pod is used as a soap substitute which has shown to be antifungal and antibacterial in action. The ... |
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Honeylocust - Inermis-Prolific — Gleditsia triacanthos
Selected from a native young tree in Illinois. Absolutely loaded with long 18" pods. Other smaller trees nearby were also fruiting. Not as thick podded but still you have to admire the yields.
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Wild Michigan Honeylocust — Gleditsia triacanthos
Highly thorned native selection rarely found in cultivation. Yes, produces major 6" branched thorns on the central trunk and smaller thorns on the lateral branches. Shinning up or down this tree would be somethin... |
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