Gleditsia triacanthos, honey locust
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Broadleaf Deciduous Trees

Gleditsia triacanthos

honey locust

FabaceaeNorth America

At a Glance

TypeTree
HabitUpright
FoliageDeciduous
Height40–80 feet (12–24 m)
Width30–50 feet (9–15 m)
Maturity18 years

Growing Zones

USDA Hardiness Zones

3 - 9
Zone 3
Zone 4
Zone 5
Zone 6
Zone 7
Zone 8
Zone 9
These zones indicate the coldest temperatures this plant can typically survive.
Frost Tolerancehardy

Key Features

Attracts Pollinators
Drought Tolerant
Fragrant (light)
Native to North America
Maintenancelow

Overview

Gleditsia triacanthos, commonly called honey locust, is a large deciduous tree in the family Fabaceae (subfamily Caesalpinioideae), native to the central and eastern United States in moist bottomland forests, floodplains, and open woodland margins. It grows 40–80 feet (12–24 m) tall with a broad, irregular, open crown and characteristically fine-textured, bipinnately compound leaves bearing numerous small leaflets 0.5–1.5 inches (12–38 mm) long that create a light, dappled shade permitting turf grass to grow beneath. In Pacific Northwest landscapes, thornless and fruitless horticultural selections are standard; the native species bears formidable branched thorns 3–8 inches (7.5–20 cm) long on the trunk and branches, and female trees produce flat, twisted, leathery seedpods 12–18 inches (30–45 cm) long. Widely grown cultivars include 'Shademaster' (straight trunk, deep green foliage, no pods), 'Sunburst' (golden-yellow emerging foliage, no pods), and 'Skyline' (pyramidal form). Fall color ranges from bright yellow to yellow-green; leaf drop is rapid and clean, with the tiny leaflets decomposing quickly into the lawn. Highly adaptable to urban stress: tolerates drought, compacted soils, road salt, alkaline pH, and intermittent flooding. Fragrant, inconspicuous greenish-yellow flowers in late spring attract pollinators.

Native Range

Native to moist bottomland forests, river terraces, floodplains, open woodland margins, and disturbed areas across the central and eastern United States — from Pennsylvania west to Nebraska and south to Texas and Florida — at elevations from sea level to approximately 2,500 feet (760 m). Also naturalized in many regions outside its native range. Native to North America.

Suggested Uses

Honey locust — in thornless, fruitless cultivated selections — is one of the most widely used large street and lawn trees in North American urban landscapes, valued for its fine-textured light-filtering shade, rapid establishment, urban tolerance, and clean leaf drop. 'Shademaster' and 'Skyline' are standard parkway and street tree selections; 'Sunburst' is used as a specimen for its golden spring foliage. Excellent for large residential lawns and parks where filtered rather than dense shade is desired. Allow 30–40 feet (9–12 m) clearance from structures. Note that the species is considered invasive in some contexts — specify thornless and fruitless cultivars to avoid naturalization.

How to Identify

Honey locust is identified by its alternate, twice-pinnately compound (bipinnate) leaves with numerous small, oblong, entire to slightly crenate leaflets 0.5–1.5 inches (12–38 mm) long, creating a fine, feathery texture quite different from other large compound-leaved trees. The native species has distinctive, stout, often branched thorns 3–8 inches (7.5–20 cm) long on the trunk and lower branches — absent on thornless cultivars. Mature bark is gray-brown with interlaced, curling ridges. Female trees produce flat, twisted, leathery, dark brown seedpods 12–18 inches (30–45 cm) long in autumn — absent on fruitless cultivars. The fine bipinnate foliage combined (on native forms) with branched trunk thorns is immediately diagnostic.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height40' - 80'
Width/Spread30' - 50'

Reaches mature size in approximately 18 years

Colors

Flower Colors

yellow
green

Foliage Colors

green

Fall Foliage Colors

yellow

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~3 weeks
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SpringSummer
Honey locust blooms in early summer (May–June) as the leaves are fully expanding. Flowers are small, greenish-yellow, and fragrant, produced in short racemes 2–3 inches (5–7.5 cm) long — individually inconspicuous but collectively noticeable and sweetly scented at close range. Flowers are a significant nectar source for bees. Male and female flowers may be borne on the same or separate trees; female or perfect-flowered trees develop the large seedpods on fruiting selections.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

Greenish-yellow; small, fragrant, in racemes 2–3 inches (5–7.5 cm); nectar-rich

Foliage Description

Alternate, bipinnately compound; numerous small oblong leaflets 0.5–1.5 inches (12–38 mm); fine-textured, bright to medium green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

Full Sun
Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 8.0(Neutral)
357912
Soil Types
loamclaysand
Drainage
well drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

15–20 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Plant in full sun in well-drained to average, moderately fertile soil. Honey locust is exceptionally tolerant of poor urban conditions — compacted clay soils, drought once established, road salt, alkaline pH up to 8.0, and periodic flooding. Water regularly for the first two to three years to establish; thereafter largely self-sufficient. Minimal fertilization required. In Pacific Northwest gardens, performs well across a wide range of soil types. Mimosa webworm (Homadaula anisocentra) can defoliate trees in eastern North America; not yet established in the Pacific Northwest — monitor for new pest arrivals.

Pruning

Prune in late winter (February–March) for structure in the first five to ten years. Establish a high, clean central leader or a few main scaffold limbs well above pedestrian and vehicle clearance. Established trees require minimal pruning. Remove dead or crossing branches as needed. Avoid pruning in late spring and summer when sap is active.

Pruning Schedule

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early spring

Maintenance Level

low

⚠️ Toxicity Warning

Non-toxic