Thornless Honeylocust vs Black Gum - TreeTime.ca

Thornless Honeylocust vs Black Gum

Gleditsia triacanthos inermis

Nyssa sylvatica

Thornless Honeylocust
Black Gum

Thornless Honey Locust makes an excellent shade tree with its lacy foliage and dappled shade. The leaves are honey-yellow, light and airy, providing interesting color and texture to your landscape. This variety is thornless, and the seeds and pods provide food for wildlife such as deer and squirrels.

The Thornless Honey Locust is tolerant of drought, various soil conditions, and even road salt.

Black Gum is a slow-growing ornamental shade tree with a dense pyramidal shape. The foliage is dark green in the summer, and transitions to bright fall colours which include red, orange, purple, and gold. It is commonly used as an ornamental tree in parks and large gardens as a specimen or shade tree.

The small greenish white flowers provide nectar for bees and black tupelo honey is a sought after flavour. The small dark blue fruits which ripen in late summer will attract birds and other animals to your yard. The fruits are edible, but very sour, and are primarily used for pies, flavouring, and drinks. Plant the Black Gum where it will live long-term, as it has a large taproot and does not transplant well.

Thornless Honeylocust Quick Facts

Black Gum Quick Facts

Lowest Price: $2.99 - SAVE UP TO 75%
Lowest Price: $12.49 - SAVE UP TO 26%
Zone: 3a
Zone: 3a
Height: 15 m (50 ft)
Height: 12 m (40 ft)
Spread: 15 m (50 ft)
Spread: 8 m (25 ft)
Moisture: any
Moisture: dry, normal
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no
Fall colour: purple, orange, yellow, red
Berries: dark blue
Flavor: sour
Harvest: september to october
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: slow
Life span: long
Life span: long
Maintenance: medium
Suckering: none
Suckering: medium




Other Names: black tupelo, pepperidge tree, sour gum, tupelo