Honey shucks locust – description, flowering period and general distribution in Ontario. branches with green leaves and thorns

Honey shucks locust – description, flowering period and general distribution in Ontario. flowering trees in the park

Honey shucks locust – description, flowering period and general distribution in Ontario. branch with leaves and buds

Honey shucks locust – description, flowering period and general distribution in Ontario. branch with flowers

Honey shucks locust – description, flowering period and general distribution in Ontario. flowering plant

Honey shucks locust – description, flowering period and general distribution in Ontario. flowers close up

Honey shucks locust – description, flowering period and general distribution in Ontario. the seeds are ready. Autumn

Honey shucks locust – description, flowering period and general distribution in Ontario. tall and beautiful tree in the valley

Common name:

Honey shucks locust

Scientific name:

Gleditsia triacanthos.

Other common name(s):

Honey locust, Honey shucks locust, Common honeylocust, Sweet bean locust.

Life form:

Tree.

Flowering time:

10 - 12 days.

Flowering period

in Ontario for this plant is: Early May ↔ Late June.

NECTAR PRODUCTION:
200 - 250 kilograms per ha

SOURCE FOR HONEY BEES:
Minor

General distribution:

The natural range of honeylocust extends from central Pennsylvania through extreme southern Ontario, extreme southern Michigan, southern Wisconsin, and extreme southeastern Minnesota to extreme southeastern South Dakota; south through eastern Nebraska to eastern Texas; east to Alabama; and northeast along the western slopes of the Appalachians. Isolated populations occur in northwestern Florida. Honeylocust is naturalized east of the Appalachians as far north as Nova Scotia.

Map of distribution and habitat in Canada

This plant is present in at least 48 states/provinces in this country.

See The Map

Botanical description:

Honeylocust is a native, deciduous tree. Mature heights usually range from 49 to 98 feet (15-30 m), with a maximum height of 140 feet (43 m). In natural stands, honeylocust averages 70 to 80 feet (21-24 m) in height. Honeylocust is armed with heavy branched thorns on the lower branches and trunk. The crown is plumelike and open. The bole is usually short and often divided near the ground. The bark of mature trunks is usually 0.25 to 0.75 inches (0.6-3.5 cm) thick with narrow ridges divided by fissures. The bark peels in strips. The thick, fibrous roots are deep and wide-spreading. The tree is sturdy and windfirm. The fruit is a legume 8 to 16 inches (15-40 cm) long and 1 to 1.4 inches (2.5-3.5 cm) wide.
Honeylocust is usually described as rapid-growing. The average longevity for honeylocust is 125 years.
Unlike most leguminous species, honeylocust does not form Rhizobium nodules on its roots and does not fix nitrogen.

Seasonal development:

Honeylocust begins to flower when its leaves are nearly full-grown, from around May 10 in the southern parts of its range to around June 25 in the northern parts of its range. The legumes ripen from September to October, usually falling after ripening but sometimes remaining on the tree through February.

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List of honey plants that may be blooming now in Ontario

See the entire list

Cercis canadensis (aka: Eastern redbud, Redbud, Cersis Reniformis)

Aronia arbutifolia (aka: Red chokeberry)

Acer saccharinum (aka: Silver maple, Soft maple)

Pyrus communis (aka: European pear, Common pear)

Acer negundo (aka: Boxelder, Western boxelder, Arizona boxelder, California boxelder, Texas boxelder, Interior boxelder, Violet boxelder)

Salix lucida (aka: Shining willow, Greenleaf willow, Tail-leaf willow, Whiplash willow, Pacific willow, Lance-leaf willow, Longleaf willow, Red willow, Western shining willow)

Ulmus americana (aka: American elm, White elm, Water elm, Soft elm, Florida elm)

Salix amygdaloides (aka: Peachleaf willow, Peach leaf willow)

Amelanchier arborea (aka: Common serviceberry, Downy serviceberry, Juneberry, Shadbush, Shadblow, Sugarplum)

Prunus cerasus (aka: Sour cherry, Tart cherry, Dwarf cherry, Montmorency cherry)

Acer saccharum (aka: Sugar maple, Rock maple, Hard maple)

Malus coronaria (aka: Sweet crab apple, Garland crab, Alabama crab, Allegheny crab, American crab, Baltimore crab apple, Buncombe crab, Dawson crab, Dunbar crab, Fragrant crab, Garland tree, Lanceleaf crab apple, Missouri crab, Sweet-scented crab, Sweet wild crab, Wild crab, Wild sweet crab, Wild Crab Apple)

Crataegus douglasii (aka: Black hawthorn, Douglas hawthorn, River hawthorn, Western thornapple)

Populus tremuloides (aka: Quaking aspen, Trembling aspen, Aspen, American aspen, Mountain aspen, Golden aspen, Trembling poplar, White poplar, Popple, Alamo Blanco)

Liriodendron tulipifera (aka: Tuliptree, Blue-poplar, Tulip-poplar, Yellow-poplar, Yellow wood)

Prunus pumila (aka: Sandcherry, Western sandcherry, Eastern sandcherry, Great Lakes sandcherry)

Salix arbusculoides (aka: Littletree willow)

Salix bebbiana (aka: Bebb willow, Beak willow, Beaked willow, Long-beaked willow, Diamond willow, Chaton, Petit Minou, Smooth Bebb willow)

Salix discolor (aka: Pussy willow, American pussy willow, Glaucous willow, Large pussy willow)

Acer rubrum (aka: Red maple, Scarlet maple)

Malus domestica (aka: Pyrus pumila, Malus pumila, Apple)

Acer platanoides (aka: Norway maple)

Prunus americana (aka: American plum, Goose plum, River plum, Wild plum)