Gleditsia tricanthos - Honey Locust

Gleditsia tricanthos - Honey Locust "Sunburst"

I originally wanted to plant a "Shademaster" Honey Locust, but couldn't find one anywhere.  Actually, I did find some that claimed to be Shademasters, but they were all in pretty bad shape.  They all had twisted trunks, and the Shademaster is known for having a very straight trunk.  I had to settle for a "Sunburst" Honey Locust that I found at Herbie's Tree Farm in 1993.  Sunburst is a seedless, thorn-less variety of honey locust (not 100% seedless and thornless, though).  When the leaves first appear in the spring, the foliage is a brilliant golden-yellow color.  It looks great when viewed against a dark green backdrop.  The leaves eventually darken to green as the year progresses.  Any new growth the tree puts out during the year is the same golden-yellow color.  Each leaf is made up of many tiny leaflets, which provide a dappled shade effect.

Plant Requirements
Zone Light Soil
-- full sun well-drained

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