Chinese honey locust - Gleditsia ferox

Description and Uses

Gleditsia ferox (Chinese honey locust) is a temperate tree from North China. It is mainly grown for its timber crops (long shelflife), The crop is harvested by total removing. It starts flowering after 5 - 6 years. The first yield will be 350 kg pods/y but in its top season there will be a yield of 30m/tree after 55 years. There is ferox locust oil extracted by hexane solvent extration from the tree`s seed/nut yielding 1 - 5% oil. The tree`s wood is called ferox locust wood and has a density of 700 - 800 kg/m³. Regarding firewood production the tree`s growing speed is fast, its energetic value is 4000 ckal/kg and the wood`s drying speed is medium; for firewood production it is not ideal. After 55 years the tree can be totally removed as it reached its commercial and ecological goal. Gleditsia ferox has a lifespan of 110 years.

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Environmental limitations

The tree is 30 meters tall. It is fast growing and tolerates not less light than partial shade. Gleditsia ferox has a deep root-system and forms symbiotic relations (endo-mycorrhiza). It is able to fix nitrogen with Rhizobiaceae bacteria. The tree`s flower-morphology is polygamomonoecious and is pollinated by bees. Gleditsia ferox is deciduous in winter and not allelopathic and has thorns.

Gleditsia ferox thrives in an altitude of 0 to 900 meters above sea-level (temperate). The minimum temperature is -35°C and optimally between 13 - 30°C. The optimal rainfall is 1300 mm/year. Without irrigation the annual rainfall should be between 500 - 1600 mm (L/m²). The optimal soil-pH is between 5.0 - 8.0 in a soil texture of sand. To salt it is a bit tolerant to wind tolerant and to fire a bit tolerant.

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Pests and Diseases

and diseases.

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Seed Propagation

Seeds are stratificant and can be stored for 1 months. There are approximative 4400 seeds/kg. Unfortunately propagation instruction is missing.

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