Gleditsia triacanthos

Gleditsia triacanthos, commonly known as honey locust, is a perennial legume tree native to North America.  Feathery, fern-like, green leaves grow densely along the honey locust tree's ashy-grey branches, changing to a golden yellow or rich amber color in the fall.  Short-lived, highly fragrant, cream-colored blooms are produced at the end of spring or early summer.  Following the petite flowers are strikingly large, reddish-brown bean pods that corkscrew and turn black as they ripen.  Sticky, edible black pulp surrounds the honey locust tree's seeds and is safe to consume, providing a honey-like, sweet taste that makes for a popular tea ingredient.  On account of the falling bean pods and densely packed thorns, honey locust trees are generally considered messy landscaping plants. However, there are numerous cultivars, with some that have been engineered to not produce the messy fruit and hazardous thorns.  

Provide honey locust trees with a location that receives copious sunlight throughout the day, and a minimum of six hours.  Not very picky about soil, honey locust can thrive in a variety of well-draining media, including sand, loam, clay, and silt, and is even tolerant to salt.  For the first few weeks after planting, water weekly with a low-volume trickle for approximately an hour, allowing the roots to be gently saturated.  Once a honey locust tree is established, it should only be watered monthly in the absence of rain, as they have a moderate drought and flooding tolerance.  Honey locust trees are able to grow in a variety of climates but die quickly if exposed to temperatures below 33°F / 1°C.  Feed young trees with a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer during the growing season according to its specified instructions, but older trees should not require any supplemental nutrients.  Learn more in the Plant Story community!

3-6 hours of sun per day, with protection from intense mid-day sun

Water moderately, allowing the top 3cm to dry out between watering.

Gleditsia Triacanthos

Gleditsia triacanthos

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Ornamental

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