Kentucky Coffeetree Gymnocladus dioicus
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- jim-noh-KLAY-dus dye-oh-EE-kus
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Sun; moist, well-drained soil but tolerates a range of soil types; Select male plants to avoid seed pods; good dependable city tree; slow to moderate grower; brittle wood and rough bark; drought and air pollution tolerant
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Gymnocladus
- Species:
- dioicus
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- USA
- Edibility:
- Seeds, roasted and ground, can be used as a substitute for coffee; does not have caffeine.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 60 ft. 0 in. - 75 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 40 ft. 0 in. - 50 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Poisonous
- Tree
- Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Ascending
- Horizontal
- Open
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Texture:
- Coarse
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Available Space To Plant:
- 24-60 feet
- Usda Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Brown/Copper
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Description:
- Female trees develop fruit; a flat black to brown seed pod with 4-7 seeds with a sticky pulp between them
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Flowers:
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Description:
- Flowers are small, 5-parted, in a large terminal cluster
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Leaves:
- Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- 3-6 in. alternate bipinnately compound leaves; late to leaf out; fall color is not showy
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Bark:
- Bark Description:
- brittle wood and rough bark
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Design Feature:
- Street Tree
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Pollution
- Problems:
- Messy
- Poisonous to Humans
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Low
- Poison Symptoms:
- CAUSES ONLY LOW TOXICITY IF EATEN. The pulp between the seeds can be mistaken for the sweet, non-toxic pulp of the honey locust. Stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, irregular pulse, coma.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Alkaloid cytisine
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Fruits
- Gymnocladus dioicus is often confused with:
-
Gleditsia triacanthos
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Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis
- Plants that fill a similar niche:
-
Ginkgo biloba
-
Aesculus hippocastanum
-
Aesculus parviflora
