Honey Locust Unavailable at local nurseries -- anyone know why?

11 years ago

I would like a honey locust, preferable a Sunburst or similar.

Absolutely NONE of the local nurseries, be they independent or big box/chain, have any honey locust at all. A few years back, they were a dime a dozen at the big box chains, you could always count on Home Depot, Lowes, Wal-mart, and Meijer having a sea of them in the garden depts.

I find it rather ironic, since I can drive down the road and see them literally planted everywhere.

Am I missing something -- is there some dread disease or insect that is wiping them out, a la the ash borers, so that nurseries don't want to stock them now?

Or, is it just a case of a plant going out of style as passe?

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Comments (13)

wisconsitom
11 years ago
Not sure, Den. We got a few hundred this spring, but wholesale, from a NY nursery called Schiktels (Sp?)

Personally, I'm really tired of the tree and think it way over-planted. I'm not aware of any "new" malady or insect problem, but they are very susceptible to a damaging canker process, as well as a host of leafhoppers and plant bugs.

Having said all that, they are tough and dependable trees for the most part, in the urban environment.

+oM
Embothrium
11 years ago
Here quantity and selection of trees at outlets with buyers working for them who have been paying any attention has fallen way off in recent years, as the public has become focused on annuals, perennials and vegetable starts. Places like grocery store plant departments are barely attempting to sell any woody plants at all - mostly very limited offerings of shrubs - let alone trees.
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Sorry, I wasn't trying to imply that there was an actual scheduled routine for fertilization. I was simply making reference to the fact that the neighbors have fertilized their lawn at different times and with different types and amounts of fertilizer. The trees were planted last October. Winter came on really quick and lasted an abnormally long time this last year. Trees got leaves about 4-5 weeks later than normal. Most of the other trees are doing great. I've got some flowering pear that are great besides the wind topping one of them. I've got a few lombardy poplars. The honey crisp apple is good. The ash is great as are the maples. One of the lapin cherries is great, while the other one is really struggling. I had supposed that it was due to a hard freeze in mid November that came earlier than usual. There were no noticeable symptoms. The honeylocusts were doing great. Lush and green and in full bloom, covered in those lumpy light green flowers. My wife mentioned seeing some aphids, but it wasn't an abnormal amount. Then the trees went from thriving to withered with many dried crispy leaves in about 3-4 days, right when the weather got above 85F. It happened so fast to one of the trees (pictured above) that the leaves didn't even have time to change color. They just completely dried out almost overnight. Those leaves you can see in the picture are not soft at all. If I grab them, they will just crumble. This isn't just one branch either. Half the tree was dead in just under two days, and the rest took about two more days. Another tree started earlier but took an extra couple days and half the tree turned yellow. The yellow leaves never got crispy but instead just started falling off. Here is a close up of that one.
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strobiculate
11 years ago
gleditsia is susceptible to nectria canker...but that's not a new problem nor is it significant to the point of exclusion.

in general terms the next couple years may get interesting in terms of availability.
jimbobfeeny
11 years ago
Honeylocust is a nice tree, unless you come across the thorny ones. We've got tons of thorny honeylocust on our property - some of them with thorns 1 foot long, others with thorns completely obscuring the bark - The thorns fall off, don't decompose, and end up peircing your foot as you walk through the woods.

That aside, few trees can beat honeylocust for a hardy, tough urban shade tree. However, there are a few alternate possibilities, such as black locust and Kentucky coffee-tree. I personally like coffee-tree the most. It's got interesting bark, and it is remarkably adaptable, becoming a rather popular street tree these days. And, I don't think grocery stores are the best place to buy trees - Lowes or Menards would probably have better selection. I think I've even seen a few honeylocust on sale at Lowes - They use them as landscaping trees in their parking lots, anyways!
denninmi
Original Author
11 years ago
Well, I want one for a specific container application, I thought the combination of fine, lacey foliage and golden new growth would work well. But, if I can't find one, I will have to go with something else.
katob Z6ish, NE Pa
11 years ago
I have been on the lookout for a cheap sunburst locust for years now and never had any luck. I also think the combo of lacy foliage and golden color looks great, but sambucus doesn't do well for me :(

Now I've reached the point of having a few too many golden leaved plants around, so I'm sure it will show up all over the place in a couple more years.
bengz6westmd
11 years ago
Honeylocust has been overplanted in certain areas, but if they're not in your local area, it's not an issue. Relatively isolated specimens shouldn't much be bothered by pests/diseases -- it's when there's a whole lot of trees in a restricted area (like some street plantings). Mine is very fast -- 35'+ tall after only 8 full seasons. It's presently blooming & the tree is full of pollinators.

Certainly some online nurseries still offer it -- Forestfarm, Musserforests, etc. Don't worry about planting a tiny tree -- it'll grow very fast.
denninmi
Original Author
11 years ago
But, but, but, I want instant gratification. Now, now, now. ;-)

I actually have about a dozen year old seedling honey locust in pots, they're about 1-2 feet now, but now that I wanted for this specific container garden area.
wisconsitom
11 years ago
Agree on the extremely fast growth.

The big story in tree nurseries is one of lack of sales and large-scale failure due to the collapse in housing starts. Without all the new subdivisions going in, the bottom has dropped out of the market. This has gone on long enough now that we're at the point of many players no longer existing.

On the other hand, for relatively large-scale buyers of wholesale stock like us, prices are very attractive these days.

+oM
ilovemytrees
11 years ago
You can get that tree from this nursery: http://www.idealnursery.com/shade2.htm

They are very reputable. They also have an Ebay account, and it has 100% positives. This is the link to their Ebay: http://myworld.ebay.com/fruit_n_more/

I've bought trees through them; they are the gold standard of sellers.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
But, but, but, I want instant gratification. Now, now, now. ;-)

==>> have you called gee tree farm in stockbridge MI .. gas the car .... and go get one ... well.. presuming they have one .. lol ... they have everything else...

driving instructions.. get on 94.. drive to jackson.. get off at the state prison /cooper st exit ... and go about 10 miles north ...

do i have to google it for you too???/

ken
denninmi
Original Author
11 years ago
I've never been to Gee. Something I'm avoiding, because I know if I ever find the time to go there, I'm coming back with probably many hundreds of dollars worth of merchandise.

Luckily for me, my work and home schedule don't allow time even for a short day trip right now, even if it is only an hour and a half from home.

But thanks for the thought.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
that response from a guy who started all this.. by suggestion that HE WOULD DIE IF HE DIDNT GET ONE ...

whats that all about.. a little bipolar???

you either do.. or you dont.. what are all the excuses about??

ken

Honey Locust Unavailable at local nurseries -- anyone know why?

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