Family

Fabaceae

Description

The Kentucky coffeetree is an unusual member of the pea family that that has thick sparse branching that holds large wide seed pods with up to 1″ brown flattened round seeds enclosed. The branching is thick and sparse with the leaves coming out very late in spring, and dropping early in fall, thus its species name dioicus which means naked branch. It can sometimes be found in clonal colonial groves. It is rare in its midwestern range and no where is it a common tree. It is considered one of the Pleistocene relics in which there are no large prehistoric mammals to spread its seed. Its common name refers to the roasted seeds being used as a coffee like beverage. However, the seeds are poisonous unless roasted.

Type

tree