also: かわらふじのき
honey locust (Gleditsia japonica)
A deciduous tree native to Japan, known for its large thorns and legume pods. The name is usually written in katakana.
See also: サイカチ
The honey locust is a deciduous tree with large thorns.
皁莢 (サイカチ) is another name for the same tree, Gleditsia japonica, but カワラフジノキ is the more common modern name.
Hiragana spelling, also common.
Kanji spelling is very rare; the word is almost always written in kana.
The name カワラフジノキ literally means 'riverbank wisteria tree', likely from its habitat and the resemblance of its pods to wisteria. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.