Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis 'Shademaster' (Shademaster Thornless Honey Locust)

Michael's Opinion

A common tree that because of its tolerance to urban conditions is in my opinion often over-planted. Poor autumn colour, little winter interest, it's only attribute is providing dappled shade.

Botanical Information

FamilyFabaceae
GenusGleditsia
Speciestriacanthos
Varietyinermis
Cultivar'Shademaster'
CategoryWoody
TypeTree (deciduous)
ReferencesGenerally available in many areas within its hardiness zone.
Pronunciation

Details

USDA Hardiness Zone3 - 7
USDA Hardiness Ref.
Canadian Hardiness Zone4a-6b
Canada Hardiness Ref.
RHS Hardiness Ref.
Temperature (°C)-20C to -33C
Temperature (°F)-3F to -27F
Height15-20 m
Spread12-16 m
GrowthFast

Description and Growing Information

General DescriptionHas a wide thin spread crown, zig-zag shoot growth pattern, slightly gnarly branching structure.
ID CharacteristicSmall distinctive pinnate and bi-pinnate oval leaves, thin crown density, it has a long winter dormancy period, the cultivar ‘Shademaster’ has darker green leaves, than the species.
ShapeVase shape, later at maturity it will develop a more oval shape.
PropagationScarify seeds and sow directly outdoors in autumn, bud grafting is often used for clonally propagated plants.
CultivationIt grows strongly in well drained soils with a high pH, but it is also a very adaptable tree and will grow in less than perfect conditions. It requires full sun.
PestsSusceptible to mimosa webworm, powdery mildew, aphid infestations and spider-mites which will cause yellowing of the leaves. Reddish galls at the branch tips can be problematic.
Notable SpecimensVictoria Park, London, Ontario.
HabitatThe species is native to the floodplains of eastern and southern United States.
Bark/Stem DescriptionThe bark is smooth grey-olive in colour and heavily lentisiled when it is young, It has a grey plate like bark with deep fissures in its mature stages.
Flower/Leaf Bud DescriptionSmall brownish lateral buds 1.5cm long, some are scaly and some are naked.
Leaf DescriptionSmall rounded base with an entire margin, no longer than 5cm, foliage often occurs in both pinnate and bi-pinnate forms on the same tree.
Flower DescriptionFlower has a pleasant fragrance, not very aesthetically pleasing, flower is yellow-green in colour and formed in clustered, 4-5cm long racemes.
Fruit DescriptionVery rarely produces fruit, if at all. If it does produce, the fruit is a long; dark brown pod 20-45cm in length. They are 2-3cm wide and usually from a twisted shape.
Colour DescriptionDark green foliage which turns to yellow in early autumn, gray-olive bark colour and a yellow-green flower.
Texture DescriptionLeaves have a smooth finish, the bark is smooth on new shoot growth but quickly becomes deeply fissured and rough to the touch.

Photographs