FABACEAE - - Legume Family

Gymnocladus dioicus (Linnaeus) K. Koch — Kentucky Coffee-tree

Kentucky Coffee-tree (Gymnocladus dioicus) - G. dioicus is a large tree, unarmed (no spines), to 100 ft. or more; branches very stout without secondary twigs, hence the meaning of the scientific name Gymnocladus dioicus, which is from the Greek for "naked branch." The leaves are bipinnately compound, from 1 to 3 ft. long and 1 to 2 ft. wide, with 5 to 13 alternate pinnae, each with 6 to 14 leaflets. The fruit is a thick, flat pod, 4 to 10 in. long and 1 to 2 in. wide.

Habitat:

Native in rich bottomland and slope forests, also in disturbed areas, persistent and weakly spreading from horticultural plantings. The original native range has been obscured, perhaps PA west to se. SD, south to w. VA, TN, n. AL, and OK.

Habitat information from:
Weakley, Alan S., Flora of the Southern and Mid-Atlantic States, Working Draft of 21 May 2015.

The range of Gymnocladus dioicus (Kentucky Coffee-tree)

Kartesz, J.T., The Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2015. North American Plant Atlas. (http://bonap.net/napa). Chapel Hill, N.C. [maps generated from Kartesz, J.T. 2015. Floristic Synthesis of North America, Version 1.0. Biota of North America Program (BONAP). (in press)].

The Georgia range of Gymnocladus dioicus (Kentucky Coffee-tree)

Zomlefer, W.B., J.R. Carter, & D.E. Giannasi. 2014 (and ongoing). The Atlas of Georgia Plants. University of Georgia Herbarium (Athens, Georgia) and Valdosta State University Herbarium (Valdosta, Georgia). Available at: http://www.georgiaherbaria.org/.