Gymnocladus dioicus
Common name: Kentucky Coffee Tree
The ugly duckling of trees that I grow, the Kentucky Coffee Tree turns into a beautiful swan as it matures. It has the largest bipinnate leaves in northern Illinois, and these large leaves need large branches for support. A 2-inch caliper tree has only 1 to 3 branches. Females produce 3-6 inch seed pods that stay on all winter providing great winter interest. I have two trees in my yard which unfortunately are male. As the trees are dioecious, you would believe male and female trees are needed to produce fruit. The females must not be listening, as my dad had only one female tree, and it set fruit every year with no males in the area! This tree is widely adaptable to our urban areas and pest free. The scaly ridged bark and irregular coarse branching habit create a dramatic effect on the winter landscape. Fall color is a very short-lived yellow.
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Plant Details
Plant type
Trees
Soil type
Mesic (Not too Wet Not too Dry), Moist Mesic, Wet
Light exposure
Full Sun
Bloom period
Late Spring
Urban environment
Harsh Exposure Tolerant, Compacted/New Construction Soils, Road-side/Salt Tolerant, Yards that Flood
Habitat
Floodplain, Moist Woods, Savannas, Wetlands, Woodlands
Growth form
Shrubby/Clump, Single trunk, Colonizing / Spreading
Growth rate
Moderate
Flower color
Whitish
Fall color
Yellow
Size
- Mature height
- 40 Feet
- Mature width
- 30 Feet
- Max height
- 60 Feet
- Max width
- 50 Feet
Additional information
Butterfly host plant