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You are here: Home / Landscaping / Trees & Shrubs / Locust Trees: Varieties and Growing Guide

Locust Trees: Varieties and Growing Guide

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Locust trees varieties and growing

The term “locust” can apply to several different species of trees with legume-like seed pods.

Locust trees are from the Fabaceae (legumes or pea family) family native to North America. Different locust trees are classified as part of the Gleditsia or Robinia genera. Meaning locusts can be trees or shrubs.

The most popular types of locust trees in North America are called black locust and honey locust.

In this article you’ll find all you need to know about the different types of locust trees, their uses and related planting processes.

The Victorians even believed there were secret meanings behind locust trees and other flower and tree species.

Honey Locust Trees (gleditsia triacanthos)

Among landscaping trees, honey locust has become very common, and with good reason. The honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) is a fast-growing tree.

Honey locusts, or Gleditsia triacanthos, are part of the Gleditsia genus. They’re also referred to as ‘thorny honeylocust’ or ‘thorny locust’.

The honey locust is a deciduous tree, meaning it tends to shed its leaves and flower petals. It’s native to the central North American region and can be found in soils along river valleys.

USA map honey locust trees

Honey locusts are hardy, strong and commonly able to tolerate wind storms, ice, soil compacting foot traffic, and pollution. They also grow fast – about 20 feet high in their first decade – and eventually up to 70 feet.

Height of a honey locust tree

They have beautiful gray-brown barks and tiny, oval leaves that turn yellow in the fall. Most of the different varieties also produce pods as fruits with edible pulp inside them.

Search for them by their scientific name – gleditsia triacanthos – and create a beautiful landscape view for your garden.

What Does A Locust Tree Look Like?

Black locust leaves and flowers
Black Locust Tree (Robinia Pseudoacacia). Because of its white flower, Black locust is a popular ornamental tree.
Purple Robe Black Locust
Purple Robe Black Locust Tree (Robinia Pseudoacacia). The Purple Robe has beautiful aesthetics because of its purple flowers.
Honey locust legumes
Honey Locust Tree (Gleditsia Triacanthos). The Honey Locust tree’s pods typically ripen in mid to late spring.
Frisia Black Locust flowers and leaves.
Frisia Black Locust (Robinia Pseudoacacia). The Frisia Black Locust has bright lime green leaves and white flowers.
Honey locust thorny trunk
Honey Locust Tree (Gleditsia Triacanthos). Some have thorned trunks which are a defense mechanism against browsing animals.
Shademaster honey locust
Shademaster Honeylocust Tree (Gleditsia Triacanthos var. Inermis “Shademaster”). The Shademaster Honeylocust tree are wonderful shade trees.
Frisia Golden Locust
Frisia Golden Locust (Robinia Pseudoacacia). Frisia Golden Locust is distinguished by its Golden yellow bijugate leaves color.
Lace Lady Black Locust
Twisty Baby or Lace Lady Black Locust (Robinia Pseudoacacia). This Black Locust’s named after its contorted branches.
Bristly locust robina hispida
Bristly Locust (Robinia Hispida). This variation of the Locust tree has bristly stems and bright purple flowers.

How Many Types of Locust Trees Are There?

The New Mexico Locust

The New Mexico locust tree, or Robinia neomexicana, isn’t a Mexican tree, contrary to its name. It’s actually found mostly in the Southwest of the United States.

This locust tree species can grow into a tree or a shrub and it reaches heights of about 10 feet with beautiful purple branches and flower batches that bloom in spring and summer.

The Imperial Honey Locust

This type of honey locust, also known as Impcole, grows to about 35 feet high.

It has yellow-green flowers and feathery leaves that almost look like ferns. The leaves are green during spring and summer, yellow in the fall and shed in winter.

The Shademaster Honey Locust

Shademaster Honeylocust
Watch the video

The Shademaster honey locust tree has no thorns and grows faster than most locust trees. Reaching heights of 50 feet and upwards.

One advantage of growing Shademasters is that they don’t produce fruits. Meaning they’re easier to maintain than other locust trees.

The leaves of a Shademaster are green, though they turn yellow in the fall. The fragrant flowers are yellow in color and small in size.

The Skyline Honey Locust

The skyline honey locust, or Skycole, has beautiful leaves in pyramid-shaped ferns. Growing to heights of 45 feet and spreads of about 35 feet.

Like the Shademaster, the skyline doesn’t produce any fruits and it doesn’t have thorns.

The Bristly Locust

This honey locust, also known as Robinia hispida or ‘moss shrub’, is a shrub that grows up to 8 feet. It produces captivating pink flowers and green leaves.

Bristly locusts can spread and develop into an invasive species in the following states:

  • Pennsylvania
  • Michigan
  • Ohio

Uses of Honey Locusts

These plants are cultivated for a variety of purposes which include:

High-Quality Wood

Honey locusts provide reliable wood used in building constructions and even furniture. Though its wood isn’t the main reason why it’s widely planted.

Food and Medicine

Honest locusts have edible seed pods, unlike black locusts’ pods which are harmful.

The pulp in honey locust seed pods can be used as food or even traditional, Native American medicine. Other consumption purposes of the honey locust include:

  • Making tea
  • Feeding livestock and wildlife, being from the pea family
  • Producing beer

It should be noted, however, that a honey locust tree doesn’t play any part in producing actual honey. Its name has more to do with the pleasant taste of its pulp than anything else.

Landscaping

The main reasons they’re cultivated are for landscaping. Though the over-planting of this tree has presented some problems, such as:

  • A greater number of pests and tree diseases.
  • Barrier creations along rivers which block animals from reaching water streams.
  • Invasion of farmlands, preventing crops from growing.

Black Locust Robinia Pseudoacacia Tree

Black locusts, or Robinia pseudoacacia, belong to the Robinia genus. They’re fast-growing, strong trees, found in the woodland areas along stream banks of the U.S.A.

USA map of black locust trees

The black locust robinia tree can tolerate poor soil, drought, pollution, and even salt. Growing up to 70 feet tall and 30 feet wide in areas with lots of sun and moderate moisture levels.

Black locust leaves are generally blue-green, small and oval, with short sharp thorns. They’re covered in blossoms in spring, before turning yellow and dropping in the fall.

Although, this does depend on the different varieties of locusts.

Popular Black Locust Varieties

The Twisty Baby Black Locust Tree

Variations of Robinia tree
Watch the video

This Robinia pseudoacacia cultivar, better known as ‘Lace Lady’, can be cultivated as a tree or a shrub. It can reach heights of 20 feet tall when planted in the ground and 5 feet when planted in a gardening pot.

The name ‘Twisty Baby’ comes from the fact that this tree’s branches contort and spiral in an odd way. You can exaggerate the twist on this variety by pruning it back in the cold winter season.

The Purple Robe Black Locust Tree

Purple Robe Black Locust
Watch the video

This black locust tree variety is incredibly captivating to look at. Its leaves change depending on their stages:

  • Blooming: green leaves with subtle purple hues.
  • Fully formed: distinctly bronze-colored leaves.

The dense clusters of flowers on this tree are just as stunning and contrast well with the leaves in pink and purple shades.

The Frisia Black Locust Tree

Robinia Pseudoacacia Frisia Black Locust
Watch the video

This lovely cultivar is a bit smaller than other locusts with heights of up to 40 feet and spreads of 25 feet. But its beauty makes it ideal for decorative purposes. It has vivid yellow foliage that can at times turn into shades of lime green.

Uses of Black Locust Tree

Known for strength and durability, black locusts appealed to pioneers for different reasons. These included:

Strong Timber

Black locusts are considered hardwood trees, meaning they are denser than others.

“Hardwood trees are equipped with xylem vessels, which are used to carry and distribute water through the trees. Their cell walls are lined with lignin, an extremely tough material that is responsible for the tree’s hardness. This stands in stark contrast to softwood, where the vascular structure is not unlike a cluster of drinking straws.” — Maximum Yield

This makes black locust wood and excellent choice for building structures and making fence posts.

Its fast-growing aspect is a plus and also means that the black locust is cultivated a lot.

Long-Lasting Firewood

A black locust’s high density makes it hard to cut through but also more durable as firewood. It takes a long time to burn and provides greater efficiency than other trees.

Honey Production

The flowers on black locusts blossom lavishly, creating broad batches of blooms that attract honey bees.

“These flowers are attractive to bees and provide a good source of nectar. Therefore, black locust trees are planted in regions where honeybees are operating to help them with their honey production.” — Green and Vibrant

Ornamenting and Shading

The heavy blossoming of a black locust’s flowers also makes them ideal as an ornamental tree. Its flowers give out a wonderful fragrance and are white, pink, or purple in color. And the batches of flowers dangle from the tree and measure between 4 to 10 inches.

Black locusts’ branches are brittle and tend to grow sporadically, creating gaps. Meaning, they provide the perfect shade that plants growing below them need.

Problems with Locust Trees

In some areas, cankers and root collar rot are serious problems for most popular types of locust trees.

Cankers first appear as flattened or discolored surfaces on the branches and trunk of the tree. Over time, cankers can spread and completely girdle the tree, causing tree death. Cankers also cause slow growth, yellowing leaves or sparse leaves.

Root collar rot is a similar disorder that appears at the base of the tree as a yellow or white area.

To prevent canker and root collar rot, keep trees vigorous and healthy:

  1. Water during dry periods, especially if the tree isn’t in an irrigated lawn.
  2. Be careful when mowing around the tree not to injure the trunk because injuries provide an entry point for these diseases.
  3. Prune out infected branches, cutting limbs at least 12 inches below the infected area.
  4. Disinfect pruning tools between cuts with a solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water.

How to Plant and Grow Locust Trees

Plant locust trees in full sun, spaced at least 30 feet from other trees. Water trees frequently the first year as the roots become established. Older trees rarely need additional irrigation or fertilizing, especially if they are in an irrigated, fertilized lawn.

Preparation

Before you plant locust tree seeds, prepare them first by:

  1. Boiling enough water (3 to 4 times the volume of the seeds).
  2. Allowing the water to cool for 1 minute.
  3. Putting the seeds into the hot water container.
  4. Letting the water cool until it reaches room temperature.
  5. Removing the seeds from the container once they’ve swollen up to 3 times their size.
  6. Planting your locust tree seeds as soon as they’ve been removed.

Planting and Caring

Planting locust trees requires:

  • A vast field to cultivate them and provide enough space.
  • Soil that’s been conditioned with a mix of cottonseed meal and powdered gypsum.
  • Lots of sun for them to grow in.
  • The right time of year (it’s best to plant in spring or summer and avoid colder seasons).
  • Adequate drainage for the vast amounts of water you’ll use.

Locust trees need to be watered intensively in the beginning but avoid waterlogging. As your trees grow, they’ll need less and less water but that doesn’t mean you can neglect them. You should prune them on a regular basis for proper growth by removing their dead branches.

Learn More About Gardening

Planting locust trees is often a great idea because of their many purposes listed above. But there’s a lot more you could be doing with your gardens to make it thrive.

Further reading:

  • How to Plant and Take Care of Your Honey Locust Tree from Utah State University Extension
  • Black Locust: A Multi-Purpose Tree Species for Temperate Climates from Purdue University
  • This YouTube video teaches more about the locust tree.

The Gardening Channel helps you get your dream garden by providing advice on how to garden.

Learn more about great organic gardening ideas and tips. You’ll discover something new whether you’re a gardening beginner or a seasoned pro. Pun intended.

locust trees and locust seed with text overlay growing guide locust tree

Photo from Freepik by @jannoon028

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Filed Under: Trees & Shrubs Tagged With: black locust, black locust tree, honey locust, honey locust tree, locust tree

Comments

  1. Kevin says

    October 20, 2016 at 3:43 pm

    I have a honey Locust type tree, how often does its fruit Bean pods?
    Thank you
    I am getting to old to clean pods up. Is there a way to neuter this tree?

    Reply
    • Kevin says

      October 20, 2016 at 3:46 pm

      What is the best way to collect or get these bean pods off the ground?
      Thank you

      Reply
      • Earthling says

        November 4, 2017 at 2:49 pm

        The beans provide food beans for small and large mammals and birds, even wild parrots where they are part of the landscape. Fallen, opened or unopened pods turn black and disintegrate into mulch. This enriches the soil. Unless you want to create grass – which is both unnatural and unhealthy for the soil as it requires copious amounts of fertilizers and pesticides/herbicides to keep nature “beaten into submission” for green grass, don’t remove the pods at all. Healthy is better. We have to ahievebetter compatibility with the natural world. We’ve already lost 76% of our insect life – soon there will be no pollinators, and no fruit on any tree, thanks too our earth-destroying fetishes and nonsensical ignorance – this includes maintaining gree grass. I am grateful to have pods on my locust bean tree. I enjoy seeing birds chomp into them, while the pods provde a mulch and cover that keep that unwanted ad even often GMO grass down.

        Reply
        • steve says

          August 15, 2021 at 10:18 am

          please google the difference between to, too and two

          Reply
      • Eric says

        February 18, 2018 at 2:18 pm

        I use a Ryobi ekectric battery mower every week or so to mow up pods. Works good but use safety glasses and keep kids and pets inside. Seeds sound like bullets bouncing off fence

        Reply
    • DENISE WILLIAMS says

      October 15, 2017 at 8:22 pm

      thats what i would like to know too. IM exhausted cleaning these pods up and im just getting too old to keep up with the tree.

      Reply
  2. shirley says

    May 3, 2017 at 5:50 pm

    do you pull the dried seed heads off honey locust seedlings?

    Reply
  3. Philip DeVol says

    May 4, 2017 at 7:11 am

    Recently we have had two mature black locust trees uproot and fall over. High winds have not been a factor. Why would this happen?

    Reply
  4. Elizabeth says

    June 8, 2017 at 1:49 pm

    My mature locust tree has very few leaves this year. Some others around town look similar, but not as sparse as mine. What can I do about this? I love this tree!

    Reply
    • Penny says

      September 11, 2017 at 4:06 pm

      I’m sorry that I saw this so late in the season. When my tree did that a few years ago, I deep root watered it for about 3 weeks, 2 times a week. It really came back. We had had a very lite snow total that winter. I also put in a few fertilizer spikes about 6 feet out from the trunk.

      Reply
  5. Debra Greer says

    July 18, 2017 at 7:36 am

    We have a podless Honey locust tree we planted three years ago.
    The problem I have is the tree has developed iheavy droopy branches but the tree doesn’t seem to be getting much taller. Is there something we can do to help it grow up instead of out.

    Reply
    • GINGERGIRL says

      October 29, 2017 at 3:31 pm

      Cut some of the bottom branches that is what I have done and they eventually grow straight up.

      Reply
  6. Nunya Bidness says

    February 10, 2018 at 1:45 pm

    I disagree with the statement that the leaves “eventually dry up and blow away”. If they’re in the grass, they stay where they landed; if they’re on pavement they blow around until it rains, at which point they stick together and form a soggy mat. Lawnmower set to mulching function does nothing to them dry or wet; you’re going to have to rake. You’re also going to be raking up the 8-inch stems, which is similar to raking pine needles–they clog up the tines and have to be removed by hand. Even without the seed pods, I’d never recommend planting this tree unless you hire a landscaper for yard maintenance or have a huge lot and put it far away from your house and driveway and let the debris lay.

    Reply
    • Josie says

      April 30, 2018 at 10:17 am

      I agree with you! It was planted in my backyard 20+ yrs ago by the HOA and I hate the thing! It drops leaves all season long and can’t use the patio without cleaning it up first! They don’t rake up or mow up and I’m responsible for fall & spring cleanup. I’ve never seen mine bloom and the pods are just as bad! Never plant this despicable tree!

      Reply
      • Carolyn S Westlund says

        June 7, 2020 at 2:47 pm

        I agree do you not plant these trees in your yard. The two that I had had to be removed because they were so messy and The Roots were moving gutter and the sidewalk up. Now my neighbors have three in there yards m the wind blows the leaves and the seeds into my yard. What a mess! The trees are beautiful in themselves but after a few years they become messy. And I don’t understand why because they were supposed to be seedless locust trees.

        Reply
    • Frustrated says

      October 9, 2018 at 10:17 pm

      My neighbor has this tree and it is awful. It blows all over my front and back yard. It’s all over my patio, my deck, and patio. My driveway is stained. Of course, my gutters are clogged!! Be a good neighbor and don’t plant this tree.

      Reply
      • Carolyn S Westlund says

        June 6, 2020 at 1:39 am

        I agree wholeheartedly. My neighbor has three locust trees in his yard and my yard is an absolute mess with leaves the small seeds are everywhere. I would recommend if you’re going to plant a tree like this plant it out in a field. I had two seedless locust on my parking and they were beautiful 3 years but then all of a sudden the roots begin to push the cement gutter and the sidewalks up besides losing the tiny seed pods everywhere my neighbor was complaining so I had to have the trees removed. I wish my neighbor would have his removed now.

        Reply
  7. Chris Kreis says

    February 22, 2018 at 6:08 pm

    Lately in the winter time, we find tiny black seeds stuck to our windows and siding. It seems to be coming from our black locust tree. They have to be scraped off which is difficult to do. Any advice on how to deal with this?

    Reply
    • Brian says

      October 9, 2020 at 1:41 pm

      Those are most likely mold spores from nearby mulch or wood chips.

      Reply
  8. Joan Moses says

    May 23, 2018 at 8:49 am

    We have a large honey locus tree about 40 years old, Some of the roots are above ground We would like to cover the roots and plant some hostas around it. Will this harm the tree? Thank you

    Reply
  9. Rebecca Blum says

    May 31, 2018 at 2:00 pm

    We have a 30ft tall locust tree in our yard. The bottom branches are blooming but the top 10ft of the tree appears dead. any suggestions? We’ve had plenty of rain and fertilizer. there are no apparent diseases.

    Reply
  10. Patti Rose says

    June 2, 2018 at 4:26 pm

    I have a very old 40′ locust, has tiny green bugs….good or bad? , and how do I get rid of them

    Reply
    • Julia says

      July 29, 2020 at 7:35 pm

      We have same problem. We have lived there for over 35 years. Last year we had a squirrel nest in tree and in spring had web worms all over. Not sure if related. Got rid of squirrels since they were also running all over my roof. I had tree trimmed hard so lost most of offshoots and it looked very tall and clean. We have a few worms again this year. Since this tree is very rooty can I put rockery down around about 15′ or so out from base since it is so hard to walk on or even mow our yard due to all the roots. Thought I might add some grasses, iris, I do have a huge oakleaf hydrangea growing under the tree also.

      Reply
  11. Julio Torres says

    June 25, 2018 at 1:55 pm

    WhatI would like to know is the following:

    How long does a locust tree take to bear fruit for the first time.

    Reply
  12. Bill Traeger says

    June 27, 2018 at 11:39 am

    My leaves on our black locust are turning yellow at an alarming rate predominantly on one side. I do not see any suspicious problems on the trunk/bark. Well established

    Reply
  13. Brent says

    July 5, 2018 at 8:57 pm

    I had a honey locust tree removed and the stump ground out 2 summers ago. My wife put new dirt over the hole this year and planted grass. The grass grew really good for 3 weeks and then just died instantly, only in the spot the tree trunk was. Anyone have answers to this?

    Reply
    • Michele says

      October 23, 2018 at 6:51 pm

      I had same thing happen with an ash stump. The problem is low nitrogen from the rotting wood. Even if wood is ground down, removed and soil placed over it, the nitrogen is low. You have to keep adding high nitrogen fertilizer after the grass seeds grows. I googled how to grow grass after stump removed.Best wishes!

      Reply
  14. Art says

    July 23, 2018 at 3:15 pm

    What would eat the bark of the tree?

    Reply
  15. Tim says

    September 23, 2018 at 6:49 pm

    I have what I believe is a beautiful old thornless honey Locust tree. Two years ago I found and transplanted a volunteer sapling. It really started to branch out this year and in just wondering if I should prune it at this point in its life or give it some time. It is looking a lot like it’s parent tree which has a wonderful spread canopy. Thank you.

    Reply
  16. Donna says

    March 14, 2019 at 1:52 pm

    Can anyone tell me why a 3-year old Honey Locust tree will NOT flower?
    Thank you!!!!

    Reply
  17. Betty says

    May 5, 2019 at 12:10 pm

    Our black locust is taking over the holly bush and maple. I dislike it and my husband loves it. The roots grow everywhere. Cut them down. Rats will come in your yard to eat the seeds.

    Reply
  18. Donna-Marie Andersen says

    May 6, 2019 at 11:31 am

    I believe we have a hybrid honey locust tree. 3 years old. In full sun. Bark and leaves look healthy. It has never flowered! Any ideas as to why not?
    Thank you so much!!!!

    Reply
  19. Janet Steinard says

    June 10, 2019 at 3:26 pm

    I have a locust shademaster . it makes clusters of little seeds on a stem. They fall ,then the stem falls. this is very messy. Is there a way I can make the tree Sterile?

    Reply
  20. Rachel says

    July 30, 2019 at 12:50 pm

    Our thornless non flowering locust sends treelets up through shallow roots. My husband worries they will get in our sewer and water lines. Should we worry?

    Reply
  21. David says

    January 8, 2020 at 2:19 pm

    Recently moved from Colorado to Missouri. Best tree hands down I ever had before moving was a male, thornless, seedless Honey Locust. Absolutely no raking. Theoretically might clog a downspout but not my experience. They will gather in flowerbeds but compost nicely. Heavy snow never broke my tree though it bowed to the ground at times. Most easy clean up with a leaf blower. Great tree. Looking to plant another in Missouri.

    Reply
  22. Janet Steinard says

    June 6, 2020 at 8:36 pm

    Cottonwood & Maples a far worse!!!! They reseed and blow all over everywhere. How many locust seedling have you seen growing in your gutters and cracks of sidewalk?

    Reply
  23. Nunya says

    April 27, 2021 at 8:17 pm

    “The New Mexico locust tree, or Robinia neomexicana, isn’t a Mexican tree, contrary to its name. It’s actually found mostly in the Southwest of the United States.”

    The SW US? You mean where NEW Mexico is? ??
    The tree is not called the Mexico Locust. It is NEW Mexico locust. It being found in the SW United States is not contrary to its name, it is literally exactly what the name denotes.

    Reply
  24. Penny says

    May 23, 2021 at 8:28 am

    I have a thornless locust tree about 15 years (My favorite.) Branches appear dead but green shoots coming from trunk and one branch. IS it dying?

    Reply
  25. Danielle says

    August 27, 2021 at 1:40 pm

    is there a locust tree that is hardy in zone 3 a? I live near edmonton, alberta, canada.

    Reply
  26. Cathy Scarborough says

    June 6, 2022 at 8:48 pm

    We also have a locust shade master. It is 50+ years old. Makes clusters of little seeds and stems. The seeds fall in early June, then the stems fall. We get piles of messy sticky seeds on the patio and on the solarium roof. Ones on the roof are extremely difficult to wash off. We have to use a window cleaning service. This is very messy for about four weeks. Is there a way we can make the tree sterile so it will not drop seeds? I have been out, continuously, sweeping up wet sticky seeds that leave stains on the patio. It is miserable for us and our puppy. PLEASE, how can we deter this from happening. WE ARE AT IT’S MERCY. We did not plant this tree.

    Reply

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