I like Skyline where a large shade tree is needed without creating a heavy, dark canopy. The fine foliage gives pleasant filtered shade and the naturally regular structure makes it easier to manage than many large-growing trees. Its tolerance of heat, drought and urban conditions is another real advantage.
Thornless Honey Locust
Price range: 29,00 € through 69,00 €
The Thornless Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos f. inermis) is a vigorous large tree with fine, airy foliage and few or no thorns. Hardy, drought tolerant and adaptable, it develops attractive golden-yellow autumn colour and provides pleasant light shade.
The Thornless Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos f. inermis) is the thornless form of the American Honey Locust. It is a large deciduous tree valued for its light, elegant foliage, open shade and attractive golden-yellow autumn colour.
Its leaves are made up of many small leaflets, giving the crown a fine and airy appearance. Unlike the typical form of Gleditsia triacanthos, the inermis form produces few or no large thorns, making it much more suitable for gardens, parks and landscaped areas.
In late spring and early summer, it produces small greenish-yellow flowers that are attractive to bees and other pollinating insects. These may be followed by long brown seed pods, which can remain on the tree into autumn.
The Thornless Honey Locust is a vigorous tree that can eventually reach around 15 to 20 metres in height, sometimes more. It performs best in full sun but is highly adaptable to different soil types, provided drainage is adequate.
Once established, it tolerates heat, drought, wind and urban conditions particularly well. Its open crown allows more light to reach the ground than many other large shade trees, making it especially useful where a lighter shade is preferred.
Botanical name: Gleditsia triacanthos f. inermis
Origin: Central and eastern North America
Synonyms / common names: Thornless Honey Locust, Thornless Honeylocust, Honey Locust
Flowering period: Late spring to early summer
Flower colour: Greenish yellow
Pollinator value: Good
Position: Full sun
Soil: Adaptable, preferably well drained
Foliage: Deciduous, golden yellow in autumn
Mature height: Approx. 15–20 m, sometimes larger
Hardiness: Very good
Uses: Specimen tree, large garden, park, avenue, shade tree
Variety characteristics
Selected by the Cole Nursery Company in Painesville, Ohio, USA, and introduced in 1957. Plant Patent PP1619 was granted on 16 July 1957.
Origin and identity
Selected seedling, exact parentage unknown
Skyline®|Skycole|Gleditsia triacanthos f. inermis ‘Skycole’
Growth and adaptation
Fast growing with a strong central leader and broadly pyramidal to oval crown. Mature trees commonly exceed 12–15 m and can become larger on favourable sites.
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