Common Name: Honey Locust

Scientific Name: Gleditsia triacanthos

Honey Locust - Large, Oval Crowned Tree

Classification: Deciduous         USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-9

Size:

• 30' to 50' width X 60' to 80' height

Growth Habit:

• Oval crowned
• Large tree
• Moderate grower

Honey Locust Bark and Spines	Honey Locust Grafted Spineless Cultivar

Bark:

• Bark is a silver-gray to almost black
• 1-3  spined thorns cover stems, branches, and trunks of native species and some seedlings.
  • Grafted cultivars do not have thorns

Honey Locust Leaf with Leaflets	Honey Locust Alternate Leaf Arrangement

Foliage:

• Deciduous
• Compound leaves
• Leaflets are ovate
• Smooth margins

Honey Locust Inflorescence

Inflorescence:

• Inconspicuous

Honey Locust Pods Young and Green	Fruiting Structure Young Green Pod	Honey Locust Pods Dark Reddish Brown	Fruiting Structure Mature Reddish Brown Pod

Fruit:

• Pods
• Flattened and twisted
• 10 - 18" long
• Dark reddish brown

Honey Locust Fall Color

Use:

• Fall color
• Lawn tree
  • Provides filtered shade allowing grass to grow to the trunk

Problems: 

• Cankers
• Twig girdlers
• Honeylocust borer
• Webworms

Culture:

• Very drought tolerant
• Withstands alkaline or acid soils
• Has a very rapid growth rate

Propagation:

• Seed

Notes: 

• Disease and insect problems are becoming more severe due to monoculture