Practical
Plants

Gleditsia aquatica

Water Locust

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Gleditsia genus in the family Leguminosae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
slow
Height
12 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Having an extensive root system, it is planted for stabilizing wet banks and marshes[2]. Wood - heavy, very hard, strong, durable in contact with the soil, coarse-grained[6][3]. It weighs 46lb per cubic foot[4]. The wood is extremely durable and is used primarily for making fence posts[3].

Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Secondary canopy

Earth stabiliser

Nitrogen fixer

Environment

Range
South-eastern N. America - N. Carolina to Florida, west to Texas, Indiana and Arkansas.
Habitat
Rich lands of river valleys that are subject to inundation, often for a considerable part of the year[6][3].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
high
Hardiness
Zone 6+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - pre-soak for 24 hours in warm water and then sow in spring in a greenhouse[5]. The seed should have swollen up, in which case it can be sown, if it has not swollen then soak it for another 24 hours in warm water. If this does not work then file away some of the seed coat but be careful not to damage the embryo[5]. Further soaking should then cause the seed to swell. One it has swollen, the seed should germinate within 2 - 4 weeks at 20°c. As soon as they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual deep pots and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer. Give the plants some protection from the cold for their first few winters outdoors.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Easily grown in a loamy soil, requiring a sunny position[1]. Succeeds in most soils[2]. Tolerates atmospheric pollution[2]. Rather tender when young, it grows best in S. Britain[1]. A slow-growing tree[1], it is growing well at the Hillier Arboretum in Hampshire where a tree was 7 metres tall and 8 metres wide in 1993[K]. Trees have a light canopy, they come into leaf late in the spring and drop their leaves in early autumn[2] making them an excellent top storey tree in a woodland garden. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[2]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[2].

References

  1. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  2. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  3. Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980-00-00 ISBN 0442238622

    ↩1↩2↩3

  4. Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22642-5

    ↩

  5. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  6. Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20278-X

    ↩1↩2

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