North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Lucky.Pittman" <Lucky.Pittman@murraystate.edu>]

>===== Original Message From North American Fruit Explorers ,
>   Who are the other two members of the unholy trinity? If Robinia is one
>,whats the last one.
Yes, Robinia is in the 'top three', but I'm softening my stance on it to some 
degree.
The third member, and probably #1 on my list, just ahead of thorned 
honeylocust, is sweetgum(Liquidambar styraciflua).  I've stepped on so many 
of 
those da**ed sweetgum balls in my bare feet through the years, that I've made 
it a mission to make sure that none survive on the farm here, though they're 
rapidly taking over my dad's farm back in AL.  They sucker ever bit as badly 
as Robinia, throw up big honking surface roots to destroy your lawnmower, are 
worthless as a fencepost, and don't make decent firewood, either - large ones 
are impossible to split(I've buried wedges up in 'em and had to burn the big 
chunk to get 'em out), and the wood pops and snaps, sending sparks flying.  
Yes, I realize they have some ornamental qualities - good fall color, few 
insect/fungal problems, but you won't EVER find me planting one, though I 
might consider one of the 'gumball-less' selections, such as 'Rotundiloba'.

LLP