Virginia Tech Dendrology

waterlocust Fabaceae Gleditsia aquatica Marsh. Listen to the Latin symbol: GLAQ
Leaf: Alternate, pinnately or bipinnately compound with 14 to 20 oval to elliptical leaflets each 3/4 to 1 inch long, overall leaf 6 to 8 inches long.
Flower: Greenish white flowers displayed in 2 inch long racemes, appearing after the leaves.
Fruit: Flat, brown, almost round pods, 1 to 2 inches long, each containing 1 to 3 seeds.
Twig: Slender to moderate, zigzag, grayish to red-brown, conspicuous thorns, lateral buds sunken.
Bark: Smooth, grayish brown, often mottled, lenticels present, later splitting.
Form: Small to medium sized tree to 50 feet with a spreading, open crown.
 Looks like: honeylocust - mimosa
leaf fruit twig bark form1 map
Additional Range Information: Gleditsia aquatica is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. See states reporting waterlocust.
External Links: USDA Plants Database
All material © 2018 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range maps courtesy USGS from USDA "Atlas of United States Trees" by Elbert L. Little, Jr., Vol. 1 (1971) 3 (1976) 4 (1977) 5 (1978)