Kentucky Coffee Tree | Gymnocladus Dioica

This native tree is commonly called Kentucky Coffee Tree or coffeetree. A strong grower that is often used as a shade tree and a street tree favorite. Late to leaf out in spring, the coffee tree is the first to drop leaves in fall.

Native to the Midwest region, Native Americans and American settlers roasted the seeds to brew a coffee like drink - without the caffeine. That is how it got it's name. Note: the seed pods are toxic if eaten fresh before roasted.

The Kentucky Coffee Tree is dioecious which means there are male and female plants. The male is the one that does not produce seed pods. Our plants are younger container grown and have not been sexed. 

We'd like to thank the Missouri Botanical Gardens for their information on the Kentucky Coffee Tree.

Image courtesy of Bostonian13 at Wikimedia.org.