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Gerald L. Klingaman
Fabaceae
GLEDITSIA triacanthos f. inermis 'Suncole'(SUNBURST®)
Thornless Honeylocust
Honeylocust is a spiny, lacy-leaved, medium to large deciduous tree native to the central and eastern United States and extreme southern Ontario, Canada. Named for its golden new leaves that mature to green, the honeylocust cultivar Sunburst® develops into a somewhat ungainly, loose-crowned tree with winding branches.
Like other honeylocusts, Sunburst® has fine-textured, pinnately compound leaves that emerge relatively late in spring and cast filtered shade. This cultivar's leaves flush bright golden yellow in spring, fade to light green in summer, and turn golden brown before dropping in autumn. Fallen leaves create relatively little mess. The trunk has gray-brown, shallowly fissured bark that lacks the formidable spines typical of most honeylocusts. Clusters of inconspicuous greenish flowers appear in spring, with no seedpods following.
Honeylocust likes sun and is adapted to a wide variety of soil types. Thornless selections make good shade trees, although overuse of this species has led to increasing cultural problems. This cultivar is susceptible to canker, mimosa webworm, and winter breakage.
8 - 1
3 - 8
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20
Tree
Full Sun
Late Spring
Northeastern United States, Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Canada
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Well Drained
Loam
Salt
Fast
Drought Tolerant, Average Water
Upright/Erect
Summer
Insignificant
Yellow Green
Red, Brown
Light Green
Green, Light Green, Chartreuse, Dark Green, Yellow Green
Light Yellow
Brown, Sandy Brown, Gray
Yes
No
Single
Fine
Matte
Fissured
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees
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