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Moonshine Designs Nursery 

Located in Milan, Illinois                    309-756-1967                                   Fax:  309-756-1058

Thornless Honeylocust Tree

  Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis

 

 

Want quick shade??  Don't like to rake leaves??  Want a maintenance free tree?  Here it is!~~~This fast growing tree and will grow 2' or more a year over a 10 year period. Easily transplanted, it withstands a wide range of conditions, including urban pollution.  It reaches maximum development on rich, moist bottomlands or on soils of a limestone origin. It is tolerant of drought conditions; high pH; and is salt tolerant.  Makes an excellent lawn tree for filtered shade and it won't "shade out" the grass growing below it.


The Honeylocust is a native tree in the pea family that can grow to be 75 feet tall. The flowers are small and fragrant and the fruits are long, flat pods that spiral and turn brown as they age. The seeds inside the pods look like beans and can actually be roasted and used as a coffee substitute.  No, I haven't tried it.  I prefer mine from a can.

The leaves are fine and small.  In the Fall, they just seem to disappear into the ground.  Hence, no raking!  No matted leaves to smother the lawn!

 

Container grown.  These are 2 gallon size trees, 24-36" tall and well developed.

Thornless Honeylocust; 24-36"+  .  Item Number: 10252

Thornless Honey Locust 2 GAL. SBR
Qty: Price: $13.95 ea.  2-9 @ $10.95 ea.  10 or more @ $9.95 ea.

5 Gallon Thornless Honeylocust; 48-72"+  .  Item Number: 13149

5 Gallon Thornless Honeylocust
Qty: Price: $29.95

LIMITED NUMBER OF THORNED TREES ALSO AVAILABLE.  CALL OR EMAIL.

Seed* also available:  Pak of 25 seeds  $2.50 ea.  Item Number: 10253

Thornless Honey Locust Seed Pkt
Qty: Price: $2.50

*Seeds will produce 85-90% Thornless trees.  Thorns will be apparent the first year and those can be weeded out.

Seed Culture

  1. Seed treatment is necessary for propagation because of delayed germination due to impermeability of the seed coat to water.  The seed coat can be made permeable to water by mechanical scarification or by immersion in very hot (just short of boiling) water for about 30 minutes.  Scarification entails filing or sanding just through the seed coat on one end to allow the penetration of water to the embryo.  Be careful not to damage the embryo.
  2. After scarifying, seeds must be stratified in moist sand at about 5° C (41° F) for 5 to 6 weeks minimum.  Placing in the refrigerator in a bag of moist sand works well.
  3. Prepared seeds should be sown in well-prepared seedbeds in late April or early May.  Moist soil should cover seeds at a maximum depth of  3/4” .

Seedling Development

Germination can be irregular and sporadic, so be patient. Under optimum conditions, seedlings can grow 2 ft. in height the first growing season and up to 10 feet by the end of the third season.

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