Grid reference | ST 33282 88400 |
Common name | Honey locust |
Origin | Central & east USA |
Deciduous | Yes |
Status | Wales Champion 2017 |
Height | 20M |
Girth | 165cm April 2018 |
Reference | 560 |
This tree is east of the stream in the sunken garden.
General tree description
Gleditsia tricanthos is a large tree, up to around 27 metres tall, with an open, oval shape. It has purple-grey bark with elongated ridges, and both stems and trunk can have large (up to 20cm), branched thorns. The leaves are pinnate, uo to 20cm long, and may be singly or doubly compound. The leaflets are 2 to 4cm long, with wavy margins, glossy bright green and turning golden yellow in autumn. Strongly scented but inconspicuous cream-coloured flowers appear in late spring, followed by large (between 15 to 20 cm ) black-brown pods.