Honey Locust

Honey Locust 'Ruby Lace' (Gleditsia triacanthos 'Ruby Lace') is a fast growing shade tree with fine, fern like foliage that opens ruby bronze in spring and settles to bronze green over summer. It reaches about 8m tall and 6m wide and casts light, dappled shade rather than heavy gloom. Unlike the wild form, this selection is thornless.

Why you'll love it

• Light, filtered shade. The finely divided leaflets take the heat out of the sun without shutting down the lawn beneath.
• Ruby new growth. Fresh foliage opens bronze red each spring and ages to bronze green, then colours again before dropping in autumn.
• No thorns. The wild species is armed with long spines. This selection carries none, which matters near a path, a driveway or a play area.
• Fast and genuinely tough. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, wind tolerant and content in poor soil, from cool temperate gardens to arid inland ones.

Where it works best

Shade trees. Allow about 6m of clear ground around it. The open canopy lets grass and understorey keep growing beneath.

Driveways and avenues. Space trees 6m to 8m apart for a run that closes overhead in time. Being deciduous, it lets winter sun back onto the drive when you want it.

Feature planting. A single tree standing in lawn shows the ruby spring growth off against green.

Growing Honey Locust Ruby Lace in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, since foliage colour is weak and the habit thin in shade. It suits cool temperate, warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid or semi-arid gardens and is reliably frost hardy. Hot, humid tropical gardens are not its country.

Soil. Almost any soil that drains, including poor, dry, compacted and alkaline ground. Compost through the backfill speeds establishment, after which the tree asks for very little.

Water and feed. Deep soak weekly through the first two summers, then water only in prolonged drought. A complete fertiliser in early spring for the first few years builds the frame faster, though it is optional.

Pruning. Prune in winter while the tree is bare. Establish a single leader early and lift the lower limbs for clearance. Fast growth means the structure is worth getting right in the first three years, and the roots resent being cut, so keep trenching and excavation well away from the trunk.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in one size, 90L. That is an advanced tree with a formed trunk, real height and a developed branch structure, so it gives a new garden immediate scale. Plan on staking it for the first two seasons while the root plate spreads.

Ordered through winter it arrives leafless, which is also the best time to plant it. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare options in the best canopy trees for shade.
• Planning an entrance run, see trees for lining driveways.
• Browse the full deciduous tree range.
• See other plants with autumn colour.

Common questions

How fast does it grow?

Up to about a metre a year once the roots are away, which is quick for a tree of this size. Growth slows in dry years and cooler districts.

Does it have thorns like a wild honey locust?

No. Ruby Lace is a thornless selection, so there are no spines on the trunk or branches, which the wild species carries in abundance.

Will grass grow underneath it?

Usually yes. The canopy is open and the leaflets small, so enough light reaches the ground for lawn and understorey to keep going.

How far from the house should I plant it?

At least 5m, and further if you can, so the 6m canopy develops evenly and stays clear of gutters and roof lines.