My Deer Garden

Plant record · Tree

Is Honey Locust deer resistant?

Gleditsia triacanthos

Fine compound foliage of honey locust
Photo by Plant Image Library, CC BY-SA 2.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Damage step 2 of 4 · Seldom Severely Damaged

Mostly. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.

Type
Tree
Hardiness
Zones 3–8
Light
Full sun
Height
720–960 in
Bloom
Spring
Maintenance
Low
Native range
47 US states

Damage steps follow a published university field scale. How plants are rated.

About Honey Locust

The fine compound leaves cast a dappled shade light enough to grow grass and perennials underneath, which is why it became such a common street tree. Buy a named thornless cultivar: the wild form carries branched thorns several inches long on the trunk. It leafs out very late and drops early, so it gives a short season of shade. Tolerates salt, drought and compacted city soil.

Soil and care

Soil pH
6 to 8
Drainage
Average garden soil
Water
Low
Spacing
236 to 354 in apart
Growth rate
Fast
Maintenance
Low

Similar to Honey Locust

Other trees with the same deer rating.

Where Honey Locust grows

Hardy across 50 states on zone range alone, and native to 47 of them. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering. Select any state, including one it will not grow in, for what is resistant there.

Alabama — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 9.Alaska — hardy here. Zones 1 to 8.Arizona — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 10.Arkansas — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.California — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 10.Colorado — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 6.Connecticut — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Delaware — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 7.District of Columbia — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 8.Florida — native, and hardy. Zones 8 to 11.Georgia — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 9.Hawaii — not hardy here. Zones 9 to 12.Idaho — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 7.Illinois — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Indiana — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 6.Iowa — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 6.Kansas — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Kentucky — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 7.Louisiana — native, and hardy. Zones 8 to 10.Maine — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 6.Maryland — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.Massachusetts — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Michigan — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 6.Minnesota — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 5.Mississippi — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 9.Missouri — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Montana — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 6.Nebraska — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 6.Nevada — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 9.New Hampshire — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 6.New Jersey — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 7.New Mexico — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 9.New York — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 7.North Carolina — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.North Dakota — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 4.Ohio — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 6.Oklahoma — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.Oregon — hardy here. Zones 6 to 9.Pennsylvania — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Rhode Island — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 7.South Carolina — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 9.South Dakota — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 5.Tennessee — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.Texas — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 9.Utah — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 9.Vermont — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 5.Virginia — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.Washington — hardy here. Zones 5 to 8.West Virginia — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Wisconsin — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 5.Wyoming — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 6.
Native and hardyHardy on zone rangeNot hardy — still linked
Choose a state from the listeasier on a phone

Common questions about Honey Locust

Is Honey Locust deer resistant?
Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) is rated Seldom Severely Damaged, step 2 of 4 on the damage scale this site uses. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
What hardiness zones does Honey Locust grow in?
Honey Locust is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
Does Honey Locust grow in shade?
No. Honey Locust wants full sun and will grow thin and flop in shade.
How big does Honey Locust get?
Mature height is roughly 720–960 in. Growth rate is fast.

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Every list Honey Locust belongs to.

All trees·Seldom damaged·Full sun plants·Mast and fruit trees

Hardy in these zones

Zone 3·Zone 4·Zone 5·Zone 6·Zone 7·Zone 8

Damage ratings follow the four-step field scale published by Rutgers University. Growing data is compiled from state extension sources and still being verified record by record. Last reviewed .