Gleditsia - Honey Locust Trees

Gleditsia trees are commonly known as 'Honey Locust' trees and they are native to North America and Asia. The genus is from the family Fabaceae and the Latin name of Gleditsia was given in commemoration of Johann Gottlieb Gleditch (1714-1786) who was the director of the Berlin Botanical Gardens. There are 14 species in the genus of Gleditsia and all are deciduous and thorny trees.

Honey Locust trees are widely planted for their beautiful ornamental foliage; the leaves are divided into tiny leaflets and each species in the genus has its own unique colouring. Many people are so fond of the foliage because its delicate structure provides dappled shade under the tree, and when the tree is mature it is a popular choice for sitting under on a sunny day. Another great attraction of Gleditsia trees are the seed pods that appear in autumn; these are large, flat, green pods that hang vertically and they are often consumed by wildlife, who then go on to germinate and disperse the seeds