Big Pod Honeylocust

Hershey Honeylocusts

This seed selection of honeylocust combines the high sugar levels along with the heavy yields of big pods. Found at the Hershey Tree Crop in Pennsylvania, nurseryperson Buzz Ferver found and collected quite a few seeds of which we grew the trees from.  Unfortunately much of this seed resource is now lost due to a condominium development on this rather amazing collection from the early 1900's.

The Hershey seed strain is thorn less too with no thorns showing up on two year trees. The large pods are quite high in sugar and smell like honey. They can used the same way date sugar is used. Some culinary uses now include fermentation The pods dry easily and can also fed to pigs. I have noticed horses do not touch them in one pasture that is near one of our collection sites. 

The wood is beautiful and very rot resistant. The sweet flowers attract a lot of pollinators and the trimmings can be used to fertilize the plants below. Honeylocust will also produce its own nitrogen having nodules produced all along the roots just like beans.  It is such a valuable tree and perfect for urban or field environments. It can grow in the shade of other trees as well slowing working its way to the top of the canopy. Its shade is light and has little effect on the plants below making it possible to grow fruiting plants below including plums, hazels and wild roses.