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Pruning guide · Broadleaf tree

Honey locust: when and how to prune

Gleditsia triacanthos

Honey locust is best pruned in July–August and November–February.

Updated on 11 October 2026

Key facts
Pruning months	July–August and November–February
Nesting season (15 March–15 August)	Take care in July–August
Flowering	June
Good for bees, butterflies and birds	Yes, for bees
Native to Belgium	No, planted

Honey locust: when to prune it?

Dead, diseased and broken branches can be removed at any time of year. Formative pruning in winter or summer.

What else to prune in those months? January · February · July · August · November · December

Prune little: a honey locust forms a fine, open crown by itself.
Train a young tree on a single leader and remove competing leaders and crossing branches.
Gradually lift the crown of a tree by a path or patio: remove one or two of the lowest branches each year.
Wear thick gloves when handling wild, thorny trees.

There are 2 pruning periods a year: July–August and November–February. You don’t have to prune in every one.
Grows best when left alone. Only remove dead, diseased or awkward branches.

Pruning in July–August can fall in the nesting season (15 March–15 August). Check carefully for nesting birds first: disturbing an active nest is against the law.
Honey locust flowers in June, when it attracts bees.
Prunings can go on a dead hedge or brash pile in a corner of the garden: shelter for hedgehogs, wrens and insects.

Clipping without first checking for nesting birds.
Pruning too much: it grows best when left alone.
Leaving a stub or sawing flush with the trunk: cut just outside the branch collar.

Caution: The thorns of wild trees are hard and sharp: clear up prunings straight away, as they go through shoe soles and bicycle tyres.

This guide is compiled from the Bladwijzer plant profile and pruning calendar.