HONEY LOCUST

Gleditsia triacanthos

LANDHOLDERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CONTROLLING THIS WEED

Contain This Weed

Description Spreading, deciduous, medium to large tree, with distinctive spines. Pods relished by livestock.

Leaves Compound, 15–20 cm long, usually bipinnate (twice divided); leaflets elliptic to ovate, 10–35 mm long, 5–12 mm wide, sparsely toothed.

Flowers Fragrant, creamy-yellow pea-like flowers that hang down in spring as leaves develop or after leaves appear. Flowers from October to November

Fruit Hanging dark brown, slightly sickle-shaped pods, 15–40 cm long and 3–4 cm wide. Contain 15–25 hard brown seeds. They do not open when mature.

Stems Trunk and limbs of trees bear very distinctive large spines that can grow to more than 15 cm long. Will resprout when stumps have been cut or damaged.

Dispersal Seed dispersed by waterways, wind and animals. Vegetative reproduction via root suckers. Deliberate plantings for ornamental purposes.

Confused with Weed species Karroo thorn (Vachellia karroo) and Prickly acacia (V. nilotica)

Control This is not a reportable weed. Manually remove where appropriate. Cut and paint, cut scrape paint, foliar spray, basal bark, frill or stem inject with herbicide.