Accession Count: 1
Common Name:
Kentucky coffee tree
Family Name:
Fabaceae
Botanical Name:
Gymnocladus dioica
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
Characteristics:
The Kentucky coffee tree is a medium to large, round-barked, deciduous tree reaching heights of 50 to 100 ft with a spread of 50 ft. This tree has deeply fissured bark. Its leaves are alternate, bipinnately compound, and one to three feet long. When full grown, the leaves are dark yellow-green above and pale green underneath. The flowers are dioecious, greenish-white, and blossom in June. They have five oblong, hairy petals, its fruit is a legume that is six to ten inches long and one and one-half to two inches wide. The legume contains six to nine seeds and is surrounded by a thick layer of dark, sweet pulp.
Compound:
Gym dio
Geographic Origin:
Eastern North America
Ecozone Origin:
Nearctic
Biome Origin:
Natural History:
Kentucky coffee tree is the only member of the genus Gymnocladus native to North America. The word Gymnocladus comes from the Greek for 'naked branch', referring to the few stout twigs, which are conspicuous year round (2). The word dioica relates to dioecious, meaning there are male and female trees. The tree lies dormant for about six months out of the year, thus the name Dead Tree or Stump Tree. Kentucky coffee tree can only be found in small colonies in temperate forests. The natural range extends from New York to Pennsylvania, then west to Minnesota, southward to Oklahoma, and east to Kentucky and Tennessee. The species is also found in the Dakotas, Texas, Georgia, and the Carolinas (2).
Cultivation Notes:
Gymnocladus dioica grows best in moist soils, but it also has an extreme drought tolerance (2). It prefers full sun and medium water and adapts well to urban conditions, making it a common street tree (2). It is relatively low maintenance because of its ability to adapt to a multitude of different conditions. The seeds contain a very hard coat, making it hard for the species to spread easily (2). Root cuttings are the best way to propagate the tree (2). The plant is dioecious, having separate male and female trees. The male trees tend to have less seedpods, and females have more (1).
Ethnobotany:
Native Americans used the pulp from the wood to treat insanity (3). The pulp was also used in home remedies to combat fever and treat headaches. The seeds and pods are poisonous. They reportedly contain cytisine, a quinolizidine alkaloid and nicotinic receptor agonist, which can be dangerous (4). The strong, heavy wood is used in general construction, cabinet work, sills, interior finish, fine furniture, railway sleepers, bridge timbers, crossties, fence posts and rails, and fuelwood (2). It also used for ornamental purposes in large area, landscape plantings, and parks.
Height:
50 - 100 feet
Width:
50 - 100 feet
Growth Rate:
Slow Growing
Grow Season:
Summer
Flower Season:
Summer
Color:
White
Function:
Shade
Spread:
Non-spreading
Allergen:
Non-allergenic
Invasive:
Benign
Toxicity:
Benign
Hardy:
Hardy
Water Use:
Moderate Water Use
