Honey locust update

[Joe Dupre']

I collected this honey locust earlier this year. It's flushing out quite well. I removed the bigger stubs because the smaller branches are more in scale. I CAREFULLY bent the longer shoots down to get them started in the right direction. I've found doing this on most species cuts down on wiring. Less wiring on this specimen means less bandages.

 

[pandacular]

Locust trees are one of my favorite in the landscape. They seem hard as bonsai, due to the large, compound leaves, but that doesn’t matter when you’re showing em! Interested to see how this goes for you.

 

[Joe Dupre']

Locust trees are one of my favorite in the landscape. They seem hard as bonsai, due to the large, compound leaves, but that doesn’t matter when you’re showing em! Interested to see how this goes for you.

I love the foliage and the reddish-brown young thorns. As far as the compound leaves, you have to stifle your thoughts of a "proper" bonsai, and just enjoy the tree for what it is. I try to keep the leaf size down by pruning the bigger ones as they mature, making way for smaller, younger leaves. A tree this size makes the scale a bit more believable.

 

[Shibui]

I try to keep the leaf size down by pruning the bigger ones as they mature, making way for smaller, younger leaves.

Also try clipping leaves back to just a couple of leaflets on each leaf. Brings the large compound leaf back to a better size. I've also done this on wisteria.
Long internodes is the biggest hassle I've had with Gleditsia - apart from the vicious thorns.

 

[Joe Dupre']

Less than a month since the last pic. I LOVE this species! Imagine 5 more months of growth.