Life History and Disturbance Response of Gleditsia triacanthos (honeylocust)
Family: Caesalpiniaceae/Leguminosae
Guild: opportunistic, dispersal limited (large-seeded)
Functional Lifeform: large deciduous tree
Ecological Role: common in moist, fertile bottomlands, old fields and open woodlands; withstands flooding and also is drought tolerant
Lifespan, yrs (typical/max): 125/150
Shade Tolerance: intolerant
Height, m: 21-40
Canopy Tree: yes
Pollination Agent: insects
Seeding, yrs (begins/optimal/declines): 10/25/75
Mast Frequency, yrs: 1
New Cohorts Source: seeds or sprouts
Flowering Dates: late spring
Flowers/Cones Damaged by Frost: no
Seedfall Begins: early fall
Seed Banking: 1 yr +
Cold Stratification Required: no, impermeable seed coat
Seed Type/Dispersal Distance/Agent: pod/ to 50 m/ gravity
Season of Germination: spring
Seedling Rooting System: variable
Sprouting: stump sprouts and root suckers common
Establishment Seedbed Preferences:
Substrate: variable
Light: open areas only
Moisture: moist required
Temperature: neutral
Disturbance response:
Fire: Honeylocust increases when fire is suppressed. It appears to be excluded from prairies by frequent fire, and expands where fire is excluded. Alternatively, longer-interval, high-intensity fires may open up canopies in bottomlands, providing regeneration sites. A thin-barked species, honeylocust is easily topkilled by fire but it sprouts from adventitious buds in the root crown. Periodic, short-interval fires may be useful in controlling invasion of honeylocust into grasslands.
Weather: Honeylocust is considered to be windfirm and resistant to ice damage.
Air pollution: Honeylocust is sensitive to ozone.