Kentucky Coffeetree

(Gymnocladus diocious)

        Date Planted:  May 4, 1998

        Family:  Fabaceae

         Hardiness:  Hardy in the Gorham, ME area ; Zone 3b to 8

Mature Dimensions:  Average is 60-75’ with a 40-50’ width; 2-3’ in diameter

         Habit:  Upright with crooked branches; valued for uniqueness of form (especially for winter landscape   interest)

        Bark:  Grayish-dark brown; rough texture with scale-like ridges

        Buds:  Covered with soft hairs, bronze in color; often sunken and barely protrude above twig surface. Usually   surrounded by a concave ring of bark.  Terminal buds nonexistent.

        Leaves:  Bipinnately compound, alternate; as much as 36 inches long and 24 inches wide.  5 to 14 leaflets;  leaflets are elliptical with entire margins and are 1 to 3 inches in length.  Petioles are short and possess a swollen base.  Early leaves have a purplish tinge that deepens to a bluish-green to green color in summer before turning yellow in autumn.

        Flowers:  Dioecious, greenish white with 4 or 5 spreading petals; borne on female trees in branching racemes up to a foot in length.  Male trees sport the same style of flower only 1/3 of the size of female trees.  Flowers are borne on mature trees in early June, and possess a rose-like fragrance.

        Fruit:   Reddish brown leathery pod 5-10 inches in length; contains a few hard-shelled round seeds which are embedded in a sticky pulp.  Fruit typically ripens in October but persist throughout winter.  Trees must typically be 6 to 8 years of age to bear fruit.  Good seed crops are produced every three years.

        Pests/Disease:  None known

        Reference Pages:  Dirr M.1998. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants. Stipes Publishing Co., Champaign IL.