Ginkgo vs Honey locust

Ginkgo and Honey locust are often considered for the same spot in the garden (specimen, shade). The data below shows where they differ: size, hardiness, care, toxicity and price.

Ginkgo

Ginkgo biloba 6 m × 5 m after 10 years

A distinctive, ancient tree with fan-shaped leaves that all turn brilliant golden yellow at once in autumn. It has almost no pests or diseases,…

Large tree

Full sun

from about PLN 23

Honey locust

Gleditsia triacanthos 7 m × 5 m after 10 years

A large tree with a loose crown and fine, fern-like foliage that casts only dappled shade, so lawn and other plants still grow underneath. It copes…

Large tree

Full sun

from about PLN 26

Key differences

Honey locust grows faster than Ginkgo.
Honey locust needs less water than Ginkgo.

Which one to choose?

Honey locust is the better choice if you want quick results or you cannot water regularly.

Watch out for

Ginkgo

It has no serious pests or diseases. The fleshy coat of the ripe seeds that fall from female trees gives off a penetrating stench like rancid butter and makes paths slippery; planting male clones is the only way to avoid it. Growth is slow and the crown sparse in the first years, roots rot in waterlogged soil, and young trees need watering in dry weather.

Honey locust

The long, branched thorns of the wild type can cause serious injuries, so plant only thornless forms near paths and play areas. Fruiting trees drop many pods that need clearing, and seedlings come up around them; spontaneous spread has been recorded in Central Europe too. The honeylocust pod gall midge (Dasineura gleditchiae) is established in Central Europe and deforms the leaflets at the shoot tips into pod-like galls, which is mostly a cosmetic problem. It comes into leaf late in spring.

The data side by side

Feature	Ginkgo	Honey locust
Group	Large tree	Large tree
Size after 10 years	6 m × 5 m (uncertain)	7 m × 5 m (uncertain)
Ultimate size	15–25 m × 9–15 m	9–24 m × 8–15 m
Growth rate	Slow	Fast
Light	Full sun	Full sun
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous, Acidic	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous
Hardiness	down to -34 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)	down to -34 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)
Heat tolerance	High	High
Foliage	Deciduous	Deciduous
Flowering	April–May, green	May–June, green, yellow
Water need	Medium	Low
Drought tolerance	High	High
Maintenance	Low	Low
Planting distance	800 cm	800 cm
For dogs	Toxic (uncertain)	Non-toxic
For cats	Toxic (uncertain)	Non-toxic
For children	Toxic (uncertain)	Non-toxic
Typical price	approx. PLN 23	approx. PLN 26

Prices are rounded, indicative values. Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor. Data updated: October 17, 2026

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