Taxon: Gleditsia triacanthos L.

Summary

Genus:

Gleditsia

Family:

Fabaceae (alt. Leguminosae)

Subfamily:

Caesalpinioideae

Tribe:

Caesalpinieae

Nomen number:

17641

Place of publication:

Sp. pl. 2:1056. 1753

Protologue link:

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/359077

Typification:

View in Linnean Typification Project

Verified:

06/28/1989 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

20 (5 active, 0 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Gleditsia triacanthos L. f. inermis (L.) C. K. Schneid. (1 active accession[s])
Gleditsia triacanthos L. f. triacanthos (0 active accession[s])

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

Images (1 total. Click on image for more.)

Links

Forestry Images – from www.forestryimages.org

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
Castroviejo, S. et al., eds. 1989-. Flora iberica: plantas vasculares de la Peninsula Iberica e Islas Baleares.
Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
Csurhes, S. M. & D. Kriticos. 1994. Gleditsia triacanthos L. (Caesalpiniaceae), another thorny, exotic fodder tree gone wild. Pl. Protect. Quart. 9:101-105.
Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 1439.
Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
Fernandez, R. D. et al. 2017. Gleditsia triacanthos (Fabaceae) in Argentina: a review of its invasion. Austral. J. Bot. 65:203-213. DOI: 10.1071/BT16147.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2010. Ecocrop (on-line resource).
Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
Graham, E. H. 1941. Legumes for erosion control and wildlife. USDA Misc. Publ. 412.
Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
International Seed Testing Association. 1971. A Multilingual Glossary of Common Plant-Names 2. Trees.
Isely, D. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25(2):159.
Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Little, E. L., Jr. 1978. Important forest trees of the United States
McGregor, R. L. et al. (The Great Plains Flora Association). 1986. Flora of the Great Plains.
National Academy of Sciences. 1979. Tropical legumes: resources for the future
Personal Care Products Council. International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient
Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Scoggan, H. J. 1978-1979. The flora of Canada, 4 vol.
Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
Voss, E. 1972-. Michigan flora.
Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
Wofford, B. E. Database of Tennessee vascular plants (on-line resource).
Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
2018. Oklahoma vascular plant database
2018. Mid-Atlantic invasive plant species (on-line resource)

Common names

Language	Name	seq	Citation
English	honey-locust	1	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
English	sweet-bean	1	Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
English	sweet-locust	1	Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
English	three-thorn-acacia	1	Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
Afrikaans	Amerikaanse driedoring	2	Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
Afrikaans	soetpeulboom	2	Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
French	carouge à miel	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
French	épine-du-Christ	2	Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 1439.
French	févier d'Amérique	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
French	piquant amourette	2	Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
German	amerikanische Gleditschie	2	Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 1439.
German	dreidornige Gleditschie	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Italian	gleditsia a tre pine	2	Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
Italian	spino di Giuda	2	International Seed Testing Association. 1971. A Multilingual Glossary of Common Plant-Names 2. Trees.
Portuguese	espinheiro-da-Virginia	2	Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
Spanish	acacia negra	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Spanish	acacias de tres espinas	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Spanish	algarrobo de miel	2	Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
Spanish	gledichia	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Swedish	korstörne	2	Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Transcribed Chinese	mei guo zao jia	2	Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Northern America	Eastern Canada	Canada	Ontario		Scoggan, H. J. 1978-1979. The flora of Canada, 4 vol.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Illinois		Isely, D. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25(2):159.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Iowa		Isely, D. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25(2):159.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Kansas		Isely, D. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25(2):159.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Minnesota	s.e.	Isely, D. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25(2):159.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Missouri		Isely, D. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25(2):159.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Nebraska		Isely, D. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25(2):159.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Oklahoma		Isely, D. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25(2):159.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	South Dakota	s.e.	Isely, D. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25(2):159.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Wisconsin		Isely, D. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25(2):159.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Indiana		Isely, D. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25(2):159.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Michigan	s.	Isely, D. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25(2):159.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Pennsylvania		Isely, D. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25(2):159.
1	Native	Northern America	South-Central U.S.A.	United States	Texas		Isely, D. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25(2):159.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Alabama		Isely, D. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25(2):159.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Arkansas		Isely, D. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25(2):159.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Florida	http://www.plantatlas.usf.edu/main.asp?plantID=3555	Isely, D. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25(2):159.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Georgia		Isely, D. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25(2):159.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Kentucky		Isely, D. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25(2):159.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Louisiana		Isely, D. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25(2):159.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Maryland	w.	Isely, D. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25(2):159.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Mississippi		Isely, D. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25(2):159.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	North Carolina	w.	Isely, D. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25(2):159.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	South Carolina		Isely, D. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25(2):159.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Tennessee		Isely, D. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25(2):159.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Virginia	s.w.	Isely, D. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25(2):159.
2	Cultivated					also cult.
4	Naturalized	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa			Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
4	Naturalized	Asia-Temperate	Caucasus	Armenia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Asia-Temperate	Caucasus	Azerbaijan			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Asia-Temperate	Caucasus	Georgia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Australasia	Australia	Australia			Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
4	Naturalized	Europe	Eastern Europe	Belarus			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Europe	Eastern Europe	Moldova			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Europe	Eastern Europe	Ukraine		incl. Krym	Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Europe	Middle Europe	Austria			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4	Naturalized	Europe	Middle Europe	Czechoslovakia			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4	Naturalized	Europe	Middle Europe	Germany			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4	Naturalized	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Bulgaria			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4	Naturalized	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Italy			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4	Naturalized	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Romania			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4	Naturalized	Europe	Southwestern Europe	France			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4	Naturalized	Europe	Southwestern Europe	Portugal			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4	Naturalized	Europe	Southwestern Europe	Spain			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4	Naturalized	Northern America		United States		extreme e.	Isely, D. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25(2):159.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina			Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.

Native
Northern America

EASTERN CANADA: Canada [Ontario]
NORTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Indiana, Michigan (s.), Pennsylvania]
NORTH-CENTRAL U.S.A.: United States [Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota (s.e.), Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota (s.e.), Wisconsin]
SOUTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Alabama, Arkansas, Florida (http://www.plantatlas.usf.edu/main.asp?plantID=3555), Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland (w.), Mississippi, North Carolina (w.), South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia (s.w.)]
SOUTH-CENTRAL U.S.A.: United States [Texas]

Cultivated (also cult.)
Naturalized
Africa

SOUTHERN AFRICA: South Africa

Asia-Temperate

CAUCASUS: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia

Australasia

AUSTRALIA: Australia

Europe

MIDDLE EUROPE: Czechoslovakia, Austria, Germany
EASTERN EUROPE: Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine (incl. Krym)
SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Bulgaria, Italy, Romania
SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: Spain, France, Portugal

Northern America

REGION: United States (extreme e.)

Southern America

SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina

Reference(s)

Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
Isely, D. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25(2):159.
Scoggan, H. J. 1978-1979. The flora of Canada, 4 vol.
Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Note	Reference
Animal food	fodder	potential	National Academy of Sciences. 1979. Tropical legumes: resources for the future
Animal food	fodder	potential	Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
Animal food	forage	potential	National Academy of Sciences. 1979. Tropical legumes: resources for the future
Animal food	forage	potential	Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
Environmental	erosion control		National Academy of Sciences. 1979. Tropical legumes: resources for the future
Environmental	ornamental		National Academy of Sciences. 1979. Tropical legumes: resources for the future
Environmental	shade/shelter		National Academy of Sciences. 1979. Tropical legumes: resources for the future
Materials	wood		Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
Medicines	folklore		Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
Weed	seed contaminant	potential	Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
Weed	seed contaminant	potential	Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
Weed	seed contaminant	potential; in Australia	Csurhes, S. M. & D. Kriticos. 1994. Gleditsia triacanthos L. (Caesalpiniaceae), another thorny, exotic fodder tree gone wild. Pl. Protect. Quart. 9:101-105.

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=17641. Accessed 15 April 2026.