Honeylocust Sapling

Honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos) is a native shade tree found from Pennsylvania and Iowa south to Georgia and Texas. Its leaves are made of many small leaflets, and they turn bright yellow in fall. In late summer it hangs long, twisted, dark brown seed pods, up to 18 inches long, with a sweet, sticky pulp around the seeds. The pods often stay on the tree well into winter.

This is the native honeylocust, not a grafted one, and that's why it has thorns. The thornless honeylocusts sold for yards and streets are grafted varieties (Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis). On the native tree, stout thorns up to 3 inches long grow on the trunk and branches. Some are single spikes and some are three-pronged. Plant it away from paths, driveways and play areas.

It's a tough tree. It does best in full sun and rich, moist, well-drained soil, but it handles a wide range of soils, including clay, and it stands up to drought, wind, summer heat and salty soil.

• Botanical name: Gleditsia triacanthos
• Type: Native honeylocust, not grafted
• Thorns: Yes, up to 3 inches long
• Pot size: 1 gallon
• USDA zones: 3 to 8
• Mature size: 60 to 80 feet tall and wide
• Sun: Full sun
• Fall color: Bright yellow