Early early. By the time I notice a new seedling in my woods (less than 2 feet high, many of these popped up in just a few weeks this spring) they already have visible thorns. I have even seen people who claim that the first thing out of the ground is a thorn, although I have not witnessed that myself and suspect it of being hyperbole.
Dan Boone wrote:Early early. By the time I notice a new seedling in my woods (less than 2 feet high, many of these popped up in just a few weeks this spring) they already have visible thorns. I have even seen people who claim that the first thing out of the ground is a thorn, although I have not witnessed that myself and suspect it of being hyperbole.
Not hyperbole, but not universally true, either.
"You must be the change you want to see in the world." "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." --Mahatma Gandhi
"Preach the Gospel always, and if necessary, use words." --Francis of Assisi.
"Family farms work when the whole family works the farm." -- Adam Klaus
Years ago I grew some in Georgia from purchased seed of "thornless" origin. Most of the seedlings came up thornless, but I did notice that, out of 15 or 20 trees planted out, maybe 2 or 3 developed thorns later.....say two or three years after planting when they were head-high.
Just for fun, these are some SERIOUS thorns! One time I broke off several long ones....a couple of inches, and drove them up to their shanks into a pine 2x4 like nails!
Pods took a long time. I had left that site before I saw any, but visited from time to time for quite a few years afterwards, and remember starting to see pods about the time the trees were a bit over my head. Five to seven years would be my guess.....Some started a year or two before the others.
That's my roommate. He's kinda weird, but he always pays his half of the rent. And he gave me this tiny ad: