Honey Locust

Pawpaw is a fellow blogger and he commented about Black Locust and Honey Locust and how the thorns are hated by folks who live in the country.

If you live in a city you have undoubtedly encountered Honey Locust.  It is one of the three most commonly planted shade trees.  You probably wonder why country folk despise Honey Locust.  Maybe you figure country folk are sissies.

Metrosexual

But you your are basing your opinions on the "metrosexual" version of Honey Locust.  The metrosexual version is a depilatated, shaved and waxed version of the "natural" version.

Non-metrosexual

Here are a few photos of what an undomesticated Honey Locust tree looks like.

Click on the pictures to embiggen.

You can see how these thorn-clusters could rip the snot out of a pneumatic tire....or your eyes or your coon-dog.

These are not even very impressive for the "natural" species.  I have seen multiple thorn-clusters the size of soccer balls on a single tree.  I took pictures of this specimen because it was in a place where I have permission to be...it is behind the church I attend.