Woody > Gleditsia > Gleditsia triacanthos > Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis 'Shademaster'
Gleditsia triacanthos
var. inermis 'Shademaster'
Shademaster Thornless Honey Locust
Mike's
Opinion
"
A common tree that because of its tolerance to urban conditions is in my opinion often over-planted. Poor autumn colour, little winter interest, it's only attribute is providing dappled shade.
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Family |
| Fabaceae |
| Genus |
| Gleditsia |
| Species |
| triacanthos |
| Cultivar |
| 'Shademaster' |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Tree (deciduous) |
| Variety |
| inermis |
| Pronunciation |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 3 - 7 |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 4a-6b |
| Temperature (°C) |
| -20C to -33C |
| Temperature (°F) |
| -3F to -27F |
| Height |
| 15-20 m |
| Spread |
| 12-16 m |
Photographs
Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| Has a wide thin spread crown, zig-zag shoot growth pattern, slightly gnarly branching structure. |
| Cultivation |
| It grows strongly in well drained soils with a high pH, but it is also a very adaptable tree and will grow in less than perfect conditions. It requires full sun. |
| Shape |
| Vase shape, later at maturity it will develop a more oval shape. |
| Growth |
| Fast |
| ID Characteristic |
| Small distinctive pinnate and bi-pinnate oval leaves, thin crown density, it has a long winter dormancy period, the cultivar ‘Shademaster’ has darker green leaves, than the species. |
| Pests |
| Susceptible to mimosa webworm, powdery mildew, aphid infestations and spider-mites which will cause yellowing of the leaves. Reddish galls at the branch tips can be problematic. |
| Habitat |
| The species is native to the floodplains of eastern and southern United States. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| The bark is smooth grey-olive in colour and heavily lentisiled when it is young, It has a grey plate like bark with deep fissures in its mature stages. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description |
| Small brownish lateral buds 1.5cm long, some are scaly and some are naked. |
| Leaf Description |
| Small rounded base with an entire margin, no longer than 5cm, foliage often occurs in both pinnate and bi-pinnate forms on the same tree. |
| Flower Description |
| Flower has a pleasant fragrance, not very aesthetically pleasing, flower is yellow-green in colour and formed in clustered, 4-5cm long racemes. |
| Fruit Description |
| Very rarely produces fruit, if at all. If it does produce, the fruit is a long; dark brown pod 20-45cm in length. They are 2-3cm wide and usually from a twisted shape. |
| Colour Description |
| Dark green foliage which turns to yellow in early autumn, gray-olive bark colour and a yellow-green flower. |
| Texture Description |
| Leaves have a smooth finish, the bark is smooth on new shoot growth but quickly becomes deeply fissured and rough to the touch. |
| Notable Specimens |
| Victoria Park, London, Ontario. |
| Propagation |
| Scarify seeds and sow directly outdoors in autumn, bud grafting is often used for clonally propagated plants. |
References
Generally available in many areas within its hardiness zone.
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