Improved Honey Locust (gleditsia triacanthos)

24-36" - one year old seedling 
 
Our Honey Locust seed comes from the remnants of John Hershey’s nursery in Downingtown, PA. The honey locust has a treasure trove of untapped potential for people and livestock alike. The pods from these improved selections are around 18” long, and some have up to 40% sugar and around 10% protein content by weight. These trees can produce hundreds of bushels of quality livestock feed annually in the fall/early winter when animals are typically eating stored hay and grain. 
 
The gorgeous dappled shade produced by honey locust is light enough that livestock forage and some annual crops can still grow beneath them. They are tolerant of a wide range of site conditions, but they favor the fertile, well drained moist soils of riparian areas. Male trees are widely planted in urban settings due to their tolerance of compacted soils and salinity. 
 
Honey locust tends to be a biennial producer, so if your goal is pod production, it is recommended to plant multiple seedlings or to plant multiple grafted cultivars to ensure annual feed production. This genetic pool of trees is of immense value, both for silvopasture and for potential human food value. (We have even made a tasty beer from the pods!)