How to Grow Honey Locust Trees From Seed

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Honey Locust trees are fast growing and vigorous, making them relatively easy to grow yourself. Learn how to start them from seed with this post.

The Honey Locust tree is a deciduous tree that has been widely cultivated for its primary use as a landscape or light shade tree. It is adaptable to a wide range of climates and soil conditions, but it’s native range is central North America.

Due to its hardiness and adaptability, it is considered an invasive tree in some regions of the world. However, it is an attractive, fast-growing variety that can make a great landscape or light shade tree when intentionally cultivated and properly maintained.

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How to Identify a Honey Locust Tree

The Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) is also known as the thorny locust or the thorny honeylocust. They are hardy in USDA zones 3-9. Honey locust trees typically grow to a height of 30-70 feet and crown spread of 25-35 feet, although some trees can reach nearly 100 feet tall.

Honey locust trees have pale to bright green, fernlike leaves on graceful arching branches, making it an attractive tree. It typically has a wide, spreading canopy providing dappled shade. This makes it an ideal tree for lawns and landscapes, as plants growing underneath it can still receive sunlight.

Young honey locusts have smooth, gray bark. As the tree matures, the bark develops into a unique pattern of furrows and ridges. Its leaves turn brilliant yellow in the fall.

Perhaps the most distinctive feature of the honey locust tree is its rather formidable thorns, which can grow up to 8 inches long. I don’t see this as much of a problem unless you plan on climbing the tree, but there are thornless varieties available for purchase.

Why Plant Honey Locust

Resilient, low maintenance tree. Honey Locust trees are highly adaptable to a wide range of growing conditions and climates. They can tolerate adverse conditions such air pollution, drought and salt spray, making them a tough and resilient species.

Beautiful shade and landscape tree. It’s broad canopy and fern-like leaves provide filtered shade, making the Honey Locust a great choice for landscape areas where you want other plants to grow beneath it.

Can easily be grown from seed. Honey Locust is a common species of tree with seed pods that are easy to collect and germinate readily.

Fast-growing. Known for their fast growth rate, Honey Locusts can grow more than two feet per year in their early stages.

If you are looking for a fast-growing tree to provide shade or beauty to your landscape, but don’t want to spend a lot of money, growing Honey Locust trees from seed can be a great option! It’s also a fun project and learning experience for kids.

When to Start Honey Locust Trees From Seed

Seed pods can be collected from Honey Locust trees from fall to spring. The seeds germinate best at temperatures ranging from 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, so wait until the weather warms up enough to plant them.

Growth Rate and Care of Honey Locust Trees

Growth Rate

Honey Locust trees are considered moderate to fast-growing, growing up to 2 feet per year. However, they can grow more than 2 feet per year in their early years under the right conditions.

How to Care for Honey Locust Trees

Climate: Honey Locusts grow in USDA Hardiness Zones 3-9.
Soil: Honey Locust trees can tolerate a wide range of soil conditions, even poor soils. However, if you do have poor soil, adding some amendments before planting may help your Honey Locust thrive.
Light: Honey Locust trees require full sun exposure, at least 6 hours per day.
Water: Although Honey Locust trees can tolerate drought conditions, regular watering is best, especially during the first few years.
Fertilizing: A balanced slow-release fertilizer during the tree’s early years can be beneficial for the tree’s growth and overall health. Applying the fertilizer in spring just as new growth is beginning is best.
Pruning: While pruning is not required, it is beneficial to remove dead branches and shape the canopy.

How to Start Honey Locust Trees from Seed

One of the great things about Honey Locust Trees is that they can be started from seed pretty easily. Keep in mind, however, that even if you collect seeds from a thornless variety, the seedlings may or may not be thornless as well.

Here’s a quick overview of the seed-starting process:

Collect the seed pods
Prepare the seeds
Sow the seeds
Germination
Seedling stage

What You Will Need

Seed starting trays or small pots

Seed starting mix (regular potting soil will work also). You can use the native soil in your garden or property, and I’ve done this as well, however germination rates don’t seem quite as high.

Boiling water

Heat proof bowl or cup

How to Start Honey Locust Seeds

Collect the seed pods. First things first. Find a Honey Locust tree, ask permission if necessary, and collect some seed pods from the tree. Seed pods can be collected from fall to spring. Don’t collect seed pods if they have fallen from the tree – the seed pods still attached to the tree are usually the most viable.

Prepare the seeds. Don’t skip this step! As tempting as it may be to just go ahead and sow the seeds, Honey Locust seeds require thermal scarification prior to sowing. This just means that the hard outer coating of the seed has to be weakened using heat, which allows water and oxygen to penetrate and encourages germination.

This process is actually really simple. Remove the seeds from the seed pods and place in a heat-proof bowl or cup. Next, boil water and pour over the seeds to cover. Allow the seeds to sit for 24-48 hours before sowing.

Sow the seeds. Prepare the seed trays with soil. Sow the seeds about 1/2 inch deep and cover with soil. Place the tray in a spot that receives bright, but not direct, sunlight and keep evenly moist.

Germination. Seedlings should emerge, on average, in 2-4 weeks, but I’ve had some outliers on both ends of that spectrum. So, don’t be surprised if you have some seeds germinate in 7-10 days, and others germinating after a month or so.

Seedling stage. Once seedlings emerge, move them to a place that receives morning light and afternoon shade, ideally. Keep seedlings evenly moist until ready to transplant. The root systems of Honey Locust trees develop pretty quickly, so if you’re starting them in seed trays, they will need to be transplanted to a larger container within a month or two.

Transplanting. I like to let my honey locust seedlings grow and develop for a year before transplanting into the ground. While I’ve tried transplanting them in the fall of their first year also, I’ve found that they’re more robust and put on more growth in the ground if they’ve had a full year to grow in a pot before transplanting. I’d recommend starting the seeds in the spring and transplanting the seedlings to their permanent home in the ground the next spring.

Be sure to protect your seedlings from deer and other pests until well established. Once transplanted, regular watering will keep your seedlings happy and give them the best start possible. Mulching around the seedlings will help keep soil moist and weeds at bay.