Gleditsia triacanthos Caesalpiniaceae Leaves are pinnately or bipinnately compound, alternate, and deciduous with 9-20 leaflet pairs. Leaflets are one inch long and hairy underneath.
Twigs are stout and zigzag with large sometimes branched thorns.
Bark is gray-brown and smooth becoming scaly and rough with thorns. Flowers are green-yellow. Fruit is a brown twisted legume, 8-24 inches long with sweet edible pulp between the seeds. Intolerant of shade. Click on photo to enlarge.