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Prairie Silk Honeylocust

Gleditsia triacanthos 'Prairie Silk'

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Prairie Silk Honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos 'Prairie Silk') at Eagle Lake Nurseries

Prairie Silk Honeylocust

Prairie Silk Honeylocust

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Prairie Silk Honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos 'Prairie Silk') at Eagle Lake Nurseries

Prairie Silk Honeylocust in fall

Prairie Silk Honeylocust in fall

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Prairie Silk Honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos 'Prairie Silk') at Eagle Lake Nurseries

Prairie Silk Honeylocust foliage

Prairie Silk Honeylocust foliage

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Height:  35 feet

Spread:  30 feet

Sunlight:  full sun 

Hardiness Zone:  3b

Description:

A fine shade tree valued for its delicate, ferny appearance which casts a dappled shade below, and strongly horizontal habit of growth; very tolerant of adverse growing conditions, seedless, one of the hardiest varieties of this species

Ornamental Features

Prairie Silk Honeylocust has rich green deciduous foliage on a tree with a horizontally-tiered habit of growth. The bipinnately compound leaves turn an outstanding yellow in the fall.

Landscape Attributes

Prairie Silk Honeylocust is an open deciduous tree with a stunning habit of growth which features almost oriental horizontally-tiered branches. It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape composition which can make it a great accent feature on this basis alone.

This is a relatively low maintenance tree, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Prairie Silk Honeylocust is recommended for the following landscape applications;

  • Shade

Planting & Growing

Prairie Silk Honeylocust will grow to be about 35 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 30 feet. It has a high canopy with a typical clearance of 7 feet from the ground, and should not be planted underneath power lines. As it matures, the lower branches of this tree can be strategically removed to create a high enough canopy to support unobstructed human traffic underneath. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 70 years or more.

This tree should only be grown in full sunlight. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist locations, and should do just fine under average home landscape conditions. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selection of a native North American species.

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight
Characteristics
Shade 
Applications
Fall Color  Texture 
Ornamental Features