Sunday 13 December 2015

Week 2: Gleditsia Triacanthos; Honey Locust.
















Common Name: Honey Locust

Latin Name: Gleditsia Triacanthos

Type: Deciduous

Location: University of Manchester Campus

Ultimate height: Up to 45m

Ultimate spread: 4 - 8m

Located Gleditsia Triacanthos height: 3-4m

Overall shape: Honey Locust have a rounded crown

Leaf Shape: Alternated pinnate and bipinnate leaflets with between 18 to 14 pairs ranging from 2-3cm long. Leaflets are yellow in early summer becoming greener as the season progresses.

Bark: Greyish purple colour

Preferred soil type: Well drained sand, chalk, clay and loam

Fruit/Flowers: Flat pods can grow up to 45cm long becoming dark brown and twisted/curved when ripe. Tiny flowers appear in June no more than 3mm long with greenish white oval petals, both male and female grow together in compact clusters.

Distribution: Native of the Mississippi Basin of North America and planted through Britain for ornament


This specie was located within the University of Manchester Campus, in close proximity to many other species of its own. The Gleditsia Triacanthos dominated this area however, they have been planted with intention. Their planting layout is of a strategic form, proving to be of a gridlock pattern throughout the site. They stand distanced apart from one another, ensuring that all nutrients necessary for healthy growth are more then available. Unfortunately when I had located this tree, the leaves had fallen however, their golden colour provides a beautiful colour palette for the area, proving purposeful to the decision of planting; being more of an aesthetic design rather than a functionality. The area they are planted within is a mass of turfed surface, often becoming boggy after rainfall. The Gleditsia Triacanthos is often used as a street tree due to its ability to withhold many different ground conditions and so the tendencies of water logging bare no negative effect to this particular specie.  As mentioned previously, they seem to be getting plenty of nutrition and as a result of this, are in a healthy state. 

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