Thoughts on grafted thornless honey locust cultivars?

[Jman]

Hello ,

I'm putting together a list of trees to plant on my property to help attract deer and came across honey locust. Based on what I've read, it seems in general honey locust can be invasive, but are a food source for various different wildlife (which includes deer). The site I would be planting them in would be food plots within a pine stand. I'm going to be using prescribe fire on the stand, so I think that should help if the honey locust escapes the food plots?

Anyone have experience with planting/using thornless honey locust cultivars for a use in a food plot? If so, what are your thoughts?

 

[T-Max]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[yoderjac]

Hello ,

I'm putting together a list of trees to plant on my property to help attract deer and came across honey locust. Based on what I've read, it seems in general honey locust can be invasive, but are a food source for various different wildlife (which includes deer). The site I would be planting them in would be food plots within a pine stand. I'm going to be using prescribe fire on the stand, so I think that should help if the honey locust escapes the food plots?

Anyone have experience with planting/using thornless honey locust cultivars for a use in a food plot? If so, what are your thoughts?

I found David Osborn a great resource back when I was grafting persimmons and planting Jujube trees for deer. Both of those undertaking were inspired by him and were some of my best successes. While I never tried it, I know he was looking at deer use of honey locust a while back. I found this old thread: Honey Locust for deer

 

[George]

I started thornless honeylocust from seeds here in Ky, they were in my garden last year and in the orchard this year. They are easy to kill and control, nothing like black locust.

G

 

[Jman]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jman]

I found David Osborn a great resource back when I was grafting persimmons and planting Jujube trees for deer. Both of those undertaking were inspired by him and were some of my best successes. While I never tried it, I know he was looking at deer use of honey locust a while back. I found this old thread: Honey Locust for deer

Thank you. I think I'm going to add a couple of the grafted thornless cultivars to the list of trees I will test in the food plot. They have other uses which I'm interested in if I can get them to work and they don't get out of control (https://permies.com/t/36615/Honey-Locust-nitrogen-fixing).

 

[Jman]

I started thornless honeylocust from seeds here in Ky, they were in my garden last year and in the orchard this year. They are easy to kill and control, nothing like black locust.

Some of the stories I've read online had me a bit concerned on how they could spread. The food plot I'd be placing these in are towards the middle of my pine stand. I'm using prescribed fire to help control the understory/competition in the stand. From what I've read honey locust do not tolerate fire, so my management practice should help keep them under control if they have a tendency to spread.

Did you add honey locust to attract deer? Also, are the trees thornless so far? I'm curious if this trait is passed on via seeds, or if we need to stick to grafted trees.

 

[George]

Some of the stories I've read online had me a bit concerned on how they could spread. The food plot I'd be placing these in are towards the middle of my pine stand. I'm using prescribed fire to help control the understory/competition in the stand. From what I've read honey locust do not tolerate fire, so my management practice should help keep them under control if they have a tendency to spread.

Did you add honey locust to attract deer? Also, are the trees thornless so far? I'm curious if this trait is passed on via seeds, or if we need to stick to grafted trees.

Thornless so far as 1 year transplants. If you are in a cow pasture, cows will spread them all over the place. I killed a lot of them in Iowa but I also had them in areas that didn't burn well. Had a big thornless across the deer trail from the barn that was a big draw. Again, not a problem like black locust can be.

G

 

[Jman]

Sounds like they are worth a shot thank you George.

 

[RGrizzzz]

There are some thornless honey locust trees in John Hershey's collection in Downingtown PA. Some years I go there in the fall to gather seed. If I go, I'll get you some.

The (Very Gentle) Fight to Save a Downingtown “Food Forest”

A band of merry pranksters wants to resurrect an urban farming utopia — if they can save it from the developer’s ax.

www.phillymag.com