Gleditsia sinensis

Chinese honey locust is in the pea or Fabaceae family and is native to China. A fast growing, medium-size tree to 15 m or more, it is a long lived medium-sized tree.

It is one of the alleged "50 fundamental herbs" used in traditional Chinese medicine. It also has been used in China for at least 2,000 years as a detergent.

Features are similar to other Gleditsia genus members, with the following variations:

• Leaves are pinnate, NOT double pinnate, up to 26 cm long, with 18 leaflets 9 cm long and 5 cm across (larger than the North American honey locust).
• Flower clusters are up to 17 cm long.
• Thorns are plentiful on the stem as well as the branches.
• Seed pods are thick, woody, purplish brown, up to only 25 cm long.