Fruit: Elongated legumes up to 1½ feet long and up to 2 inches wide, flat, often twisted or curved, purple-brown, containing several seeds embedded in a thick pulp.
Wood: Hard, strong, coarse-grained, reddish-brown.
Uses: Fence posts, coarse construction; a spineless form sometimes cultivated.
Habitat: Moist, wooded ravines, thickets, along roads.
Range: New York across to South Dakota, south to Texas, east to Florida.
Distinguishing Features: Honey Locust has more leaflets than any other kind of tree in Illinois. The large 3-parted spines and the long fruits are also distinctive.
KENTUCKY COFFEE TREE
Gymnocladus dioicus (L.) K. Koch
Growth Form: Medium to large tree to 85 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 2½ feet; crown with a narrow, rounded top; trunk stout, usually branching a few feet above the ground.
Bark: Dark gray, deeply furrowed and scaly at maturity.