Tree Categories: Fall Color Trees, Fast Growing Trees, Ornamental Trees, and Shade Trees
Mature Tree Height: 40-60 feet tall | Mature Tree Width: 30+ feet wide
Tree Growing Zones: Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, and Zone 8
The Shademaster® Honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis ‘Shademaster’) is a medium-sized, fast-growing shade tree. This is the most popular shade tree of the Honeylocust species. It has ascending branches that spread outwards and form an irregular, oval- to vase-shaped canopy that some say almost resembles an American Elm. Lower branches stick out horizontally and will sometimes droop. It has a strong central leader but older trees might have multiple ascending trunks near the upper part of the tree, creating the vase shape. Its foliage is small and pinnately compound, turning gold-yellow in the fall.
The Shademaster® Honeylocust is an all around great shade tree. Its small foliage disintegrates into the grass in the fall so no raking is necessary. The late emergence of leaves in the spring and early leaf drop in the fall along with the dappled light it lets through the canopy allows grass to grow right up to the base of the tree. Its appealing form and pretty leaf color make it an attractive tree for your yard. It is also very adaptable and will grow in pretty much any yard setting and will also do well in urban environments. It does best in full sun and tolerates most soil types.
