Honey locust

Thursday
After an early morning frost (yes, frost on May 5th!) the day was sunny and dry, a rare event this Spring. After a hair appointment, I went for a walk at Glenwood Gardens. The honey locust tree is very distinctive because of the thorns which grow out of the branches and commonly form dense clusters around the trunk. They are commonly 3-10 cm in length, with some reaching lengths over 20 cm. These thorns are thought to have evolved to protect the trees from now extinct browsing creatures. Honey locusts can reach a height of 20-30 m (66-100 ft), with fast growth, but are relatively short-lived - their life spans are typically about 120 years, though some live up to 150 years. The fruit of the Honey locust is a flat legume (pod) that matures in early autumn. The pods are generally between 15-20 cm. The pulp on the insides of the pods is edible, unlike the Black locust, which is toxic. Despite its name, the honey locust is not a significant honey plant. The name derives from the sweet taste of the legume pulp, which was used for food by Native American people, and can also be fermented to make beer.
Then it was time to come home and carry on with the packing - we're off to England tomorrow on our annual pilgrimage to visit the family, so I won't be posting for a while - I shall back blip on my return.