Gleditsia triacanthos f. inermis SKYLINE - Honeylocust

Gleditsia triacanthos f. inermis SKYLINE is a beautiful variety of American Honey Locust that stands out for its upright and pyramidal habit, with a compact and closed crown. Its deciduous foliage, glossy and finely cut like that of the Albizia, is dark green from spring to summer, turning golden yellow in autumn. This variety is devoid of thorns. With its majestic habit, it provides a light shade, very pleasant in summer. Superb as a standalone or in rows, this original plant will adapt to any type of soil, and its good hardiness will allow it to acclimate everywhere in the UK.

Gleditsia triacanthos is a tree of the Fabaceae family, related to the carob tree, native to the eastern and central United States (from Nebraska, through Pennsylvania to Texas). Its growth is fast, especially on moist soil. SKYLINE is a horticultural selection obtained in the United States in 1957. Its branches are completely devoid of thorns. It has a particularly upright silhouette, conical to pyramidal, and a vegetation arranged in 'drapery'. It will reach about 15m (49ft 2in) in height and 8m (26ft 2in) in spread. The foliage appears late, in late spring. The large leaves, finely cut into small leaflets, are alternate, pinnately compound, and measure between 14 and 25cm (5.5 and 9.8in). Dark green, they turn golden yellow in autumn. The straight and clear trunk has a beautiful dark bark with crevices. This tree is dioecious (there are male and female individuals) and its discreet summer flowering is very honey-producing. Only female trees bear mahogany to brownish and flattened pods, 20 to 40cm (7.9 to 15.7in) long, persistent in winter, with sweet and edible pulp. The SKYLINE cultivar does not produce or produces very few fruits. Young plants need to be protected from severe cold, but a mature tree will withstand temperatures well below -15°C (5 °F). This tree has a deep and taproot system, which requires a soil of good thickness.

One may wonder why the Thornless Honey Locust and its varieties are not more commonly planted in the UK, which seems to only welcome the Albizia in its gardens, although it is less hardy and not easier to grow. This is probably due to its insignificant flowering, largely compensated by the splendoUr of its foliage. In short, it is a perfect tree as a standalone, in a large garden, planted near the terrace or a resting area, where it provides a beautiful and pleasant light shade, without preventing other plants from growing at its base. The SKYLINE cultivar is particularly suitable for lining driveways and avenues.

An ornamental tree and a useful plant, Gleditsia has hard and dense, reddish-brown wood, locally used for making poles, railway sleepers, but also appreciated in cabinetmaking. Its foliage, rich in proteins, is excellent fodder for livestock. This very adaptable tree, if it thrives in rich and moist soil, or even poorly drained soil, ultimately tolerates dry, poor, and limestone soils once it is well established, of course.