We’ll touch on some of the characteristics that you can use to spot Black Locust in a pile of dried wood later, but first, let’s touch-on the easiest ways to identify Black Locust.Black Locust is one of only a few species of trees in our area (Midwest USA) that grow thorns directly from the tree.
Let’s get to it!Black Locust has the highest heat output of any wood that my family burns over winter. T he black locust tree, Robinia pseudoacacia, is famous for producing a fruity and fragrant honey that ranges from water white to lemon yellow to yellowish green.A batch of monofloral black locust honey with little cross-contamination from other flowers can be as clear as a glass jar. The seed pods also differ, smaller seed pods about 2-5 inches are characteristic of a black locust tree. While both are very, very fragrant, they have an entirely different fragrance from each other. The black locust is also known as the false acacia or yellow locust and there are about 10 species. But recently the global population of the 106 different species that comprise Ipe has declined rapidly, heading towards the brink of extinction. However, Mulberry, which is an otherwise top-level firewood, does produce a moderate amount of smoke.It’s also worth mentioning, that almost any wood will be VERY smokey if you burn it wet. Currently living in Lexington KY.Have just enjoyed the scent of honey locust flowers in Philadelphia for the 2nd year in a row that I knew the source of the scent.
Although both are grown or are native in warm areas, they can still survive in areas outside of their native land.Black locust and honey locust trees grow in places with sunny or warm temperatures. has some pretty deep vertical fissures and the honey locust (Gleditsia) is somewhat more smooth. If you find all this talk of firewood aromas interesting, you should check out our article on the Another factor that is commonly used for rating firewood is “coaling”. The black locust tree’s botanical name is Robinia pseudoacacia and the honey locust tree’s is Gleditsia triacanthos.The black locust is also known as the false acacia or yellow locust and there are about 10 species.
Honey Locust has large branching thorns, whereas Black Locust has individual spines, typically at the base of leaves. The black locust (Robinia sp.) The pictures are no exaggeration, they belong to the cruelest of plants in the world along with their cousins the Acacias! If you find thorns, that dramatically narrows your options, and there’s a solid chance that you’re looking at Black Locust.The next thing you can look at for live trees, or for logs where they’re still attached, is the leaves.Leaves are among the most common methods for identifying any type of tree. Most hardwood firewood, including Black Locust, have low sap levels and produce less creosote than very sappy firewood like Pine.Speaking of Pine, it’s probably the worst type of wood when it comes to creosote build-up. But if you look at the seedpod, there are minor differences. The wood takes more than one hundred years to break down and makes some of the best and hottest burning firewood there is. Alright, now that we’ve covered identification, let’s take a quick look at seasoning for Black Locust.For wood to be “seasoned” basically just means that it’s thoroughly dried. And I’ll admit, this isn’t absolutely essential, but if you put your stack of firewood up on some pallets or perpendicular planks, it will increase airflow beneath the firewood stack and will accelerate your drying time.To optimize your drying time, you should stack your firewood neatly in a location that will maximize the amount of sunshine and air flow. Black Locust throws a medium amount of sparks.