honeylocust
Gleditsia triacanthos

Honeylocust commonly grows on limestone or moist bottomland soils throughout the south-central and lower midwest states. It is often planted in urban situations for its finely textured compound leaves and admirable tolerance of both drought and salinity.

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Light Fall Color. Water
Growth   Size
Timber Value

      Honeylocust's dense, heavy wood is used for fence posts, pallets, crates, general construction, furniture, interior finish, turnery, and fuelwood.
Wildlife Value
      Fruits are high in both carbohydrates and proteins.
          Attracts: cattle, hogs, rabbits, squirrels, deer, opossum, birds
Regeneration methods
      Honeylocust's shade intolerance and pioneering nature allow only for methods offering maximum light levels, i.e. clearcuts. Honeylocust sprouts readily from cut stumps and produces seeds annually, with best crops every other year, and maximum bearing age from 25-75.
Important Problems Early Detection tips
mimosa webworm skeletonized leaves, overall burnt appearance
cankers sunken distorted bark; branch dieback
Fun facts
Because of its useful timber, sparse shade, and edible, nutritious pods, honeylocust is a valuable tree for agroforestry systems. The common name alludes to the honey-like taste of the pulp inside the seed pods. The variety, "inermis", is a commonly planted street tree that does not bear pods or thorns.
Gleditsia after Gottlieb Gleditsch, German botanist. triacanthos Greek "treis" (three) and "akantha" (spine).
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2004 Virginia Tech Forestry Department, all rights reserved. Text, images, and programming by: Dr. Jeff Kirwan, Dr. John R. Seiler, John A. Peterson, Edward C. Jensen, Guy Phillips, or Andrew S. Meeks.

questions, comments, and criticisms: email John.Peterson@vt.edu