Honeylocusts are adaptable to urban conditions and are often used as street trees. That can be a problem because the vigorous roots can break up pavement and sidewalks. They have been widely planted as an ornamental replacement for American elms. They are fairly resistant to salt, drought, soil compaction, heat and disease. It is probably best to use them as specimen trees in the yard and garden. They provide very light shade, so it is possible to grow grass under this tree with little problem. Honeylocust also can be used as a screen along property lines or as a windbreak at the edges of fields. While they are appropriate for parks, the ones with thorns represent a potential danger to children and animals and definitely should be avoided.
Some varieties of home landscape type Honeylocust will produce seed pods, if you don t mind a little cleanup in the fall. These pea-like pods are regarded by some yardeners as ornamental and are useful for dried arrangements. The fact that they rattle in the winter wind also gives them an extra interest.
