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Sunburst® Honeylocust Tree

Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis 'Suncole'
$7992
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Delivery and Shipping

Shipping

To obtain a more accurate shipment time-frame, simply enter your zip code in the “Find Your Growing Zone” box to the right. Our plants are grown all over the country and lead time on items may be different because of this. Once your order is placed, you will also receive the specific shipment time-frame information as part of your order confirmation. Once an item ships, you will receive shipment notification and tracking numbers, so you can follow along while your plant travels to your doorstep. We use FedEx, UPS, or USPS at our discretion.

 

Due to winter weather we have put a hold on shipping to the areas shown below in grey. You can still order now and we will ship the plant to you during an appropriate time for your zone.

*If you have found your zone already, it will be highlighted in the table below.

Standard Shipping Rates

At Nature Hills we handle, package and ship the products you order with the utmost care to ensure healthy delivery. Shipping and handling charges are calculated based on the tables below. Please note that some items include an additional handling surcharge, these will be noted on the item's product page.

From To S&H
$0 $19.99 $24.99
$20 $49.99 $29.99
$50 $69.99 $34.99
$70 $99.99 $39.99
$100 $129.99 $44.99
$130 $149.99 $48.99
$150 $150+ Approx 28%

Click here to see our full rates

Plant Highlights

Sunburst® Honeylocust Tree highlights at a glance!

Plant Highlights

  • Brand
    Nature Hills' Choice
  • Botanical Name
    Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis 'Suncole'
  • Growing Zones
    4-9
  • Mature Height
    35 - 45 feet
  • Mature Spread
    30 - 40 feet
  • Sun Exposure
    Full Sun
  • Moisture
    Low Once Established
  • Soil
    Widely Adaptable
  • Growth Rate
    Fast
  • Flower Color
    Greenish-White
  • Fall Color
    Yellow & Copper
  • Pollinator Friendly
    Yes
  • Pruning Time
    When Dormant
  • Bloom Period
    Late Spring

An attractive and easy care brilliant shock of color! If you want an attractive hardwood shade tree that grows quickly and has a lot of style, take a good look at the native Sunburst® Honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis 'Suncole'). This is a great tree that handles tough conditions without any trouble.

This is a wonderful selection for the home landscape. It's pollution, drought, and salt tolerant and will give you very little trouble. You won't even have a big job with fall cleanup!

Sunburst® is considered by many to be the perfect lawn tree. It grows into a vase shape and with a beautiful rounded canopy. The leaves are one of its best features! Our horticulture team calls them "pinnately compound", which means each leaf has tiny, symmetrical leaflets that are made up of even smaller rows of leaflets!

Sunburst® Honeylocust is well-known for its bright sunny yellow leaves that emerge in the spring. As the new growth expands, the foliage at the tips remains very yellow until it matures. The fine-textured, compound leaves cast a refreshing dappled shade. The leaves are nicely green through the summer and turn a lovely golden-yellow in the fall.

And little leaves? So much easier to pick up in the fall. Often, a majority of them will just be whisked up by the wind and carried away. The tiny leaves that are left can actually be left to break down into rich, organic compost over the winter. Or zip, zip, zip - a quick pass of the mower and you're DONE with fall cleanup! No raking is required.

This tree is a tough cookie throughout USDA growing zones 4 to 9, that excels in areas where others don't. We're talking compacted soil, clay soil, urban pollution, high heat, and limited maintenance or care! Sunburst® Honey Locust is also a very hard-wooded tree that tolerates ice storms and wind with few problems.

For decades, growers have worked to improve many of our hardy, native American tree species, reducing undesirable traits and boosting all those delightful plant characteristics we love so much. One of the most popular of these hybrid selections is the Sunburst® Honeylocust!

Planting and Application:

Honeylocust trees, or just Locust trees, are native to America, so they are usually very hardy. Sunburst® is a seedless/pod-less male cultivar that has been bred to be extra hardy! It isn't fazed by street or air pollution, salt, soot, or a whole range of soils, including challenging soil conditions.

Your lawn grasses can grow beneath it. Pretty perennials or small shrubs for partial shade can easily establish and grow for you directly underneath it. Shade your backyard entertainment areas or reduce cooling costs in the summer by situating this tree 10-15 feet from your home to block the sun in the summer but let light through in the winter once the deciduous leaves drop.

Recommended for wherever a large shade tree is required, Sunburst® works in large parking lot islands or buffer zone plantings. Municipalities have used Honeylocust trees as street trees because of their great adaptability to soils and tolerance where road salt is used.

They can be planted in close groups to create a shaded grove in a large landscape. This tree grows as an informal pyramidal outline when young, but opens up into an upright, spreading form at maturity.

You can also use Sunburst® Honeylocust as a bright accent specimen tree. The early yellow leaf color and the way the wind plays through the lacy leaves will draw your eye.

  • Fast Growing Hardwood Tree
  • Sunny Yellow New Leaves in Spring
  • Thornless & Pod-Less Cloned Male Variety
  • Small Sprays of White Flowers Pollinators Seek Out
  • Refreshing Dappled Light Shade, Perfect Lawn & Shade Tree

#ProPlantTips for Care:

Simply plant Sunburst® in full sun and give it the space to grow and watch this fast-growing tree thrive. Honeylocust will tolerate almost any type of soil, but it must be well-drained. Nature Hills Root Booster is recommended to help your new plants make new roots easier. Give a moderate amount of water on a regular basis to establish the plant. Once it's established in your soil, it will be quite drought-tolerant.

Top the soil with a 3-4 inch thick layer of arborist mulch - especially when planted in the lawn. Create a buffer zone extending 3-4 feet from the trunk to protect the bark from mower and weed wacker damage.

Pruning to shape branch structure is recommended when the tree is young. It may seem odd, but Honeylocust are best pruned in June while it's actively growing. This will prevent any disease problems.

  • Full Sun Deciduous Tree
  • Highly Adaptable to Any Well-Drained Soil Type
  • Moderate to Low Moisture Once Established
  • Long-Lived Tree & Super-Low Maintenance
  • Pollution, Drought & Salt Tolerant & Deer Seldom Bother It

Did we mention that this tree is thornless and seedless? It's a cloned male variety, and couldn't be any easier! Nature Hills sells out of this high-demand tree. If you see the Sunburst® Honeylocust Tree online, place your order with us today!

Customer Reviews

Based on 19 reviews
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E
Ericka
My absolute favorite tree, but the roots system is extremely invasive, if not planted the right l...

This tree was by far my most favorite tree on the property. I wish I could post a picture of it in this review. Last weekend we had no choice but to take it out completely because the root system was different than a typical tree. Its roots traveled literally 40 - 50 feet away from the trunk and were like a massive web of long semi fine but tough runners. The lawn, and all the other trees and shrubs in its path struggled because of it. I am still crying that I had to take it down because I loved everything about it. I loved the brilliant neon yellow fern like foliage which pretty much disappeared in the fall when it shed and didn’t need to be raked up. I am going to buy two more and plant them in places where the roots can do what they want and not affect anything around them.

Hi Ericka,

Thank you so much for sharing your heartfelt experience with this tree. We completely understand how tough it can be to part with a favorite plant, especially one that has such unique and beautiful characteristics like that neon yellow, fern-like foliage. Your detailed description of the root system is really helpful—it sounds like you have a keen eye and great admiration for your garden!

This aggressive root spreading is indeed a key thing to consider with certain trees, especially when planted close to lawns or other vegetation. Your plan to give your next two trees plenty of space is wise and will let those roots thrive without creating competition. We’d be happy to help you select ideal planting locations or even explore root barrier options that can sometimes help redirect or contain spreading roots.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions about site selection or ideal companion plants. We’d love to help you recreate that joyful planting experience without worrying about root interference again!

To greener days ahead,
Nature Hills Customer Care & Plant Support

D
Donna
I love this tree. It

I love this tree. It is doing great. I have seen them around and one day I stopped and asked the people what the name of the tree.. they was very happy to tell me. They loved it too.

Dear Donna,

Thank you so much for sharing your joyful experience with your new tree! We’re thrilled to hear it’s thriving and that it has become a lovely talking point with others who appreciate it as much as you do. Trees truly have a special way of bringing people together, and your story captures that perfectly.

If you ever have questions about care tips or want suggestions for companion plants to make your garden even more vibrant, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re always here to help your garden flourish!

Wishing you happy planting,
The Nature Hills Plant Experts

D
Donna
I love this tree. It

I love this tree. It is doing great. I have seen them around and one day I stopped and asked the people what the name of the tree.. they was very happy to tell me. They loved it too.

Dear Donna,

Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful experience with your tree! We’re delighted to hear it’s doing great and that you’ve connected with others who share your excitement about it. There’s something so special about how trees can bring people together—and it sounds like yours is doing just that. If you ever want tips on care or ideas to enhance your garden further, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re always here to help you keep your green space thriving!

Bloom on,
The Nature Hills Plant Knowledge Team

G
Garden
pruning/trimming a sunburst

Can I trim and shape the lowere sections of the tree here in September. The leaves are sre starting to turn, we do get sno and freesing temps during the winter. Answer from Nature Hills: Yes you can trim the tree in the fall.

Dear Garden H.,

Thank you so much for reaching out with your question about pruning your Sunburst® Honeylocust Tree! We're delighted to hear you're taking such good care of your tree and want to make sure you do it right.

Pruning the lower sections of your honeylocust in September is indeed appropriate. As the leaves begin to turn, it’s a good time to trim lightly and shape the tree without causing too much stress before winter. Since you experience snow and freezing temperatures, just be sure to avoid heavy pruning late in the season, as that can encourage new growth that might be vulnerable to frost damage. Keeping the cuts clean and using sharp tools will help your tree heal better, too.

If you’d like, we also recommend checking out our pruning guide on NatureHills.com for some step-by-step tips tailored to honeylocust trees. And remember, remove any damaged or diseased branches to keep your tree healthy through the winter months!

If you have any further questions or want advice on your garden, we’re always here to help.

Wishing you happy planting,
The Nature Hills Plant Experts

S
Sisterscrapper
Sunburst Honey Locust

We planted our tree in August of 05. My husband thought it was a Charlie Brown tree but has since changed his opinion. It will provide the filtered shade to our front east facing window without the mess in the fall. My husband would like to plant two more in the park strip, but we are having difficulty finding out if the root system will work there. We need to make sure the roots will not grow under the sidewalk.

Dear Sisterscrapper,

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughtful experience with your Sunburst® Honeylocust Tree. It’s wonderful to hear that what started as a “Charlie Brown tree” in your husband’s eyes has grown on both of you and is now a valued part of your landscape! The filtered shade from this tree is definitely one of its charming qualities.

Regarding planting two more in the park strip and your concern about the root system affecting the sidewalk, you’ve raised a very important point. Sunburst® Honeylocust trees tend to have a relatively non-invasive root system compared to some other larger shade trees, but roots will naturally spread out looking for water and nutrients. To help prevent roots from impacting sidewalks, you can:

- Provide plenty of deep watering around the drip line to encourage contractor-friendly roots rather than surface-root invasions.
- Mulch around the base to keep the soil moist and healthy, discouraging unsightly root splay.
- Use a root barrier system installed between the trees and the sidewalk for extra protection.
- Consult with a local arborist or city planning department as per your community’s regulations about plantings in park strips.

For more detailed information, we also recommend this helpful guide on tree roots and sidewalks hosted on our website’s Resources section.

We’re delighted our tree continues to meet your planting needs, and we’re here if you need further advice planning for the new additions!

Bloom on,
The Nature Hills Plant Knowledge Team

Sunburst® Honeylocust

Sunburst® Honeylocust Tree

From $7992

Growing Zones

4-9

Mature Height

35 - 45 feet

Mature Spread

30 - 40 feet

Sun

Full Sun

Foliage Color

N/A

Fall Color

Yellow & Copper

Flower Color

Greenish-White
View product

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