Sunburst Honey Locust Ornamental Tree (Gleditsia Triacanthos 'Sunburst')

Sunburst Honey Locust Ornamental Tree Description

The Sunburst Honey Locust is a striking ornamental tree known for its feathery, light foliage and vibrant seasonal colour. This deciduous tree, part of the legume family, typically grows to a height of 6–10 metres (20–33 feet) with a graceful, spreading canopy that adds both height and texture to the landscape. Its thornless form and adaptability make it a popular choice in gardens, parks, and urban settings, where its golden-yellow foliage provides year-round interest and dappled shade.

The Sunburst Honey Locust has a light and airy crown with delicate, fern-like leaves that emerge as a bright yellow in spring, maturing to a fresh green during the summer. In autumn, the leaves turn a rich golden-yellow before they fall, creating a beautiful seasonal display. This vibrant foliage offers a lovely contrast against the darker greens of other trees, making it a standout feature in any landscape. The tree’s trunk and branches are smooth and grey, which adds additional winter interest.

One of the key benefits of this tree is its dappled shade, which allows grass and other plants to thrive beneath its canopy, making it an excellent choice for mixed planting schemes.

Pruning Advice

Pruning is usually minimal for the Sunburst Honey Locust due to its naturally attractive form. However, light pruning in late winter or early spring before new growth begins is recommended to remove any dead, damaged, or crossing branches and to maintain a clean, open structure. This helps to encourage healthy growth and airflow within the canopy, reducing the risk of disease.

If desired, additional light pruning can be done during the growing season to shape the tree or to control its height and spread, though it’s best to avoid excessive pruning as this can impact the tree’s natural shape and health.

Further Information

Ornamental Value: With its light, ferny foliage and stunning golden hues, the Sunburst Honey Locust provides dynamic colour throughout the seasons, adding brightness to garden spaces and urban landscapes alike.

Urban Tolerance: This tree is highly tolerant of pollution, compacted soils, and drought, making it well-suited for city environments, streets, and exposed areas.

Adaptability: The Sunburst Honey Locust is highly adaptable, thriving in a range of soil types, including sandy, loamy, and clay soils, and tolerates both acidic and alkaline conditions.

Low Maintenance: Once established, the tree requires minimal care, and its thornless form and lack of seed pods mean it creates little debris, making it a cleaner, safer option for gardens and public areas.

Wildlife Support: The tree’s airy canopy allows sunlight to reach ground-level plants, encouraging a diverse range of flora and providing shelter for birds and insects.

Delivery & Returns

Free delivery is available on most orders (except Premium Products) providing they meet the minimum spend criteria for the size of box or pallet. Pallet deliveries and large box deliveries for tall plants are indicated by icons on the product table listings. Delivery costs and minimum order details for each packaging type are as follows:

* Standard Sized Boxes (Bare root up to 1.2m tall & pots up to 7.5L) | Free UK Mainland Delivery for orders over £250 | or £9.98 charge.

* Tall Sized Boxes (Bare roots 1.2m & over) | Free UK Mainland Delivery for orders over £250 | or £24.99 charge.

* Pallets (Root balls, large pots 10L+, trees etc | Free UK Mainland Delivery for orders over £350 | or £82 charge.

* Pleached Trees (Specialist Delivery) | Free UK Mainland Delivery for orders over £1500 | or £450 charge.