Gleditsia triacanthos f. inermis

RHS Plant Profile
thornless honey locust

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thornless honey locust RHS
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A large, spreading, deciduous tree to 20m tall with a thornless trunk and divided leaves comprising paired, oblong, glossy leaflets that turn yellow in autumn. Insignificant greenish flowers are followed by flat, brown seed pods often twisted into a sickle shape

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

Higher than 12 metres

Max Spread

wider than 8 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
20–50 years
Max Spread
wider than 8 metres
Max Height
Higher than 12 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
West–facing or South–facing or North–facing or East–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H6

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Fabaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Bushy
Genus
Gleditsia are deciduous trees with elegant, pinnate or bipinnate foliage, often on spiny branches, inconspicuous flowers followed by large flattened seed-pods
Name Status
Correct
Plant Range
C & E USA

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow as a specimen tree in any well-drained soil in full sun

Propagation

Propagate by seed or grafting

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Low Maintenance

Pruning

Pruning group 1

Pests

May be susceptible to gall midge

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus