Kentucky Coffeetree
Did you know?
Early settlers to Kentucky used the seeds from Kentucky Coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus) as a caffeine-free substitute for coffee beans. Roasting destroys the toxic alkaloid cytisine, which can be found in the seeds, leaves, and fruits.
Size
Up to 70 feet tall
Flowers, Fruit, Foliage
Fragrant, rose-scented flowers bloom in late spring. The fruit are 5 - 10 inch, brown, leathery pods encasing black, hard-shelled seeds in a sweet, sticky pulp. Leaves emerge in late spring and fall in early autumn.
Pests & Diseases
None serious
Landscape Use
Great as a specimen or landscape tree
Care Practices
Plant in moist, well-drained soil in an area with full sun. These cold hardy trees tolerate drought, poor quality soils, and pollution. Seed pod litter can be messy.
Native Range
Ravines and bottomlands from New York to Minnesota, south to Tennessee