Gymnocladus dioicus #3 (Kentucky Coffeetree)

Kentucky Coffeetree is an uncommon native shade tree. In the wild, it occurs in rich, deciduous woodlands but it is never dominant. In cultivation, it accepts urban conditions and less than ideal soil types, such as high pH and poor fertility, with occasional drought and even areas exposed to road salt. It is a tough and adaptable tree with an attractive irregular, open, oval crown. The leaves are bipinnately compound and cast an inviting, dappled shade effect that allows for the growth of grass or other plants underneath it.

This is a dioecious species, with the sweetly fragrant, showy, greenish blooms on the female trees. Male trees have flowers that are less showy, smaller, and with less fragrance. The flowers offer nectar and pollen to insect visitors, and Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds have also been observed drinking the nectar. The blooming period lasts for 2-3 weeks, followed by flattened pods that hang on the female trees through winter. Male trees do not produce the pods which can be a litter problem for smaller, tidier landscapes.

The seed pods of Kentucky Coffeetree give this species its common name. The mature pods were once gathered, roasted and ground to be used as a (caffeine-free) coffee-like beverage. They are toxic until roasted! All parts of the tree are toxic to mammals, so deer tend to ignore them. It is a host plant for at least 5 species of Lepidoptera, most notably the Bicolored Honey Locust Moth and the Bisected Honey Locust Moth.

Sources:
Native Trees, Shrubs, & Vines by William Cullina
Manual of Woody Landscape Plants by Michael A. Dirr
Midwestern Native Shrubs and Trees by Charlotte Adelman & Bernard L. Schwartz
Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants and Herbs by Steven Foster and James A. Duke
Missouri Botanical Garden
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Illinois Wildflowers
Grow Native! Salt-Tolerant Native Plants