Gymnocladus dioicus (18/10/2014, Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid)
Position: Full sun
Flowering period: Early summer
Soil: Moist, well drained
Eventual Height: 20m
Eventual Spread: 15m
Hardiness: 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae
Gymnocladus dioicus is a deciduous tree with a spreading habit. Its mid green leaves are bipinnate, up to 90cm long and 60cm broad. Its leaflets are ovate with entire margins, up to 6cm long and 4cm broad. Its leaves appear pink in spring and turn yellow before they fall in autumn. Its trunk may achieve a diameter of up to 1m. Its grey bark is fissured and flaking. This is a dioecious tree producing separate male and female trees. Its white flowers appears in branched clusters which are up to 10cm long. Its fruit is a hard shelled bean encased in a thick walled pod which is up to 25cm long and stay on the tree after leaf fall.
Gymnocladus dioicus Leaf (18/10/2014, Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid)
Gymnocladus dioicus, commonly known as the Kentucky Coffetree, is native to mid west USA. In its native habitat it grows in mixed woodlands and mash edges.
The etymological root of the binomial name Gymnocladus is derived from the Greek gumno meaning ‘naked’ and klado meaning ‘branch’. Dioicus is derived from the Greek meaning ‘dioecious’.
The landscape architect may find Gymnocladus dioicus useful as a deciduous tree with attractive autumn colour. It is worth noting that this tree produces leaves after most others and its leaves fall before most others in autumn.
Gymnocladus dioicus Bark (18/10/2014, Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid)
Ecologically, Gymnocladus dioicus flowers are attractive to pollinating insects.
Gymnocladus dioicus prefers moist, fertile, well-drained soils. It tolerates most pH of soil. This tree will tolerate wet soils.
Gymnocladus dioicus requires little maintenance.
