{"slug":"gleditsia-triacanthos","scientific_name":"Gleditsia triacanthos","common_names":["Honeylocust","Honey locust","Thornless honeylocust"],"family":"Fabaceae","type":"broadleaf_deciduous","mature_height_m":20,"mature_spread_m":15,"growth_rate":"fast","lifespan_years":125,"hardiness_zones":[3,8],"sun":"full","water":"low","soil":"Wide range of soils and moisture, acid to alkaline, including compacted and salted urban soil","native_range":"Central and eastern United States from Iowa and Nebraska to Pennsylvania and south through the Gulf states to eastern Texas, with rare native stands in southern Ontario.","description":"A medium-large tree with a broad, flat-topped crown of fine, fern-like leaves that cast light, filtered shade and turn yellow in fall. Wild trees have fierce branched thorns and long twisted pods, but almost every nursery tree is a thornless, nearly seedless cultivar such as 'Skyline', 'Shademaster' or 'Imperial'. It was the standard replacement for American elms and was overplanted, so many cities now limit it, but it remains a tough, salt-tolerant street tree.","care":"Transplants well; plant in full sun and water the first season. Prune in fall or winter. Watch for honeylocust plant bug, mimosa webworm (especially on thornless cultivars), spider mites, cankers and borers; mowing damage encourages sprouting on wild trees.","benefits":["shade","fast_canopy","drought_tolerant","salt_tolerant","flood_tolerant","fall_color","wildlife","pollinators"],"uses":["street_tree","yard_shade","parks"],"cautions":["thorns","messy_fruit","pest_prone","invasive_elsewhere"],"image_url":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/Gleditsia_triacanthos_%28Honeylocust%29_%2838246396371%29.jpg","image_credit":"Plant Image Library from Boston, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons","sources":["https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/gleditsia-triacanthos/","https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/trees-and-plants/honey-locust/","https://plants.usda.gov/plant-profile/GLTR","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gleditsia_triacanthos"],"data_note":null,"updated_at":"2026-11-08T01:00:46.205Z","page_url":"https://treerm.org/trees/gleditsia-triacanthos","markdown_url":"https://treerm.org/trees/gleditsia-triacanthos.md","regions":[{"country":"CA","region":"ON","locality":null,"status":"native","note":"Rare native in extreme southern Ontario; USDA PLANTS lists it as native in Canada.","source_url":"https://plants.usda.gov/plant-profile/GLTR"},{"country":"US","region":null,"locality":null,"status":"native","note":"Native from Pennsylvania and Iowa south to Texas and the Gulf states (more than 15 states); naturalized in New England.","source_url":"https://plants.usda.gov/plant-profile/GLTR"},{"country":"CA","region":"ON","locality":"Toronto","status":"recommended","note":"'Skyline' honey locust is on Toronto's list of species planted on streets.","source_url":"https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/water-environment/trees/tree-planting/species-planted-on-streets/"},{"country":"US","region":"CO","locality":"Denver","status":"recommended","note":"On the Denver Office of the City Forester Approved Street Tree List","source_url":"https://www.denvergov.org/content/dam/denvergov/Portals/747/documents/forestry/Street_tree_guide.pdf"},{"country":"US","region":"DC","locality":"Washington","status":"recommended","note":"On the Casey Trees Tree Rebate eligible species list","source_url":"https://caseytrees.org/rebate"},{"country":"US","region":"MA","locality":"Boston","status":"recommended","note":"On the City of Boston Urban Forestry Division recommended public street trees list","source_url":"https://www.boston.gov/urban-forestry-division"},{"country":"US","region":"NY","locality":"New York","status":"recommended","note":"On the NYC Parks Street Tree Planting Approved Species List","source_url":"https://www.nycgovparks.org/trees/street-tree-planting/species-list"},{"country":"US","region":"OR","locality":"Portland","status":"recommended","note":"'Skyline', 'Shademaster' and 'Halka' honeylocust are on Portland's list for 6.0 to 8.4 ft planting strips.","source_url":"https://www.portland.gov/trees/60-84-foot-wide-planting-spaces-without-high-voltage-power-lines"},{"country":"US","region":"TX","locality":"Dallas","status":"recommended","note":"On the City of Dallas Article X Approved Tree List","source_url":"https://dallas.gov/departments/sustainabledevelopment/buildinginspection/DCH%20documents/pdf/BI_Approved%20Tree%20List.pdf"}],"license":"CC-BY-4.0"}