Honey Locust
Cladastris kentukea (formerly Cladastris lutea). FABACEAE (LEGUMINOSAE)
Planting and Growing Honey Locust Trees
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow honey locust trees in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- Flowers, foliage, and fruit of honey locust
- Growing conditions for honey locust
- When to plant honey locust
- How to plant honey locust
- How to prune honey locust
- Watering, fertilizing, and care of honey locust
- Landscape uses of honey locust
- Pest and disease control for honey locust
Growing Honey Locust Trees
Thornless variety of fast- to medium-growing, upright, spreading, deciduous tree, 50–75 ft. (15–23 m) tall, with acacia- and frondlike fans of light green or yellow turning midgreen leaves, 8–10 in. (20–25 cm) long, divided into 10–15-paired, lance-shaped leaflets, turning gold in autumn.
Honey Locust Planting and Care Guide
Flowers and Fruit
Choose fruitless male cultivars with insignificant flowers.
Best Climates
U.S.D.A. Plant Hardiness Zones 3–8.
Soil Type and Fertility
Moist, well-drained soil. Fertility: Average–low. 6.0–8.0 pH.
Where and How to Plant
Full sun. Space 15–20 ft. (4.5–6 m) apart.
Proper Care
Easy. Keep moist until established. Avoid fertilizing. Prune to thin, remove crossing branches. Propagate by budding, seed.
About This Species
Good choice for accents, backgrounds, edgings, paths in open gardens, landscapes, lawns. Drought tolerant when established. Invasive. Shallow rooted. Honey locust borer, locust pod gall, gypsy moth, mimosa webworm and Nectria canker susceptible.