Kentucky coffeetree

Kentucky coffee tree
Gymnocladus dioicus

Vulnerable  (IUCN 3.1)

Secure  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae
Genus: Gymnocladus
Species:
G. dioicus
Binomial name
Gymnocladus dioicus
Natural range
Synonyms
  • Gymnocladus canadensis Lam.
  • Guilandina dioica L.
  • Gymnocladus dioicus (L.) K.Koch [Spelling variant]

The Kentucky coffee tree (Gymnocladus dioicus), also known as American coffee berry, Kentucky mahogany, nicker tree, and stump tree, is a tree in the subfamily Caesalpinioideae of the legume family Fabaceae, native to the Midwest, Upper South, Appalachia, and small pockets of New York in the United States and Ontario in Canada. The seed may be roasted and used as a substitute for coffee beans; however, unroasted pods and seeds are toxic. The wood from the tree is used by cabinetmakers and carpenters. It is also planted as a street tree.

From 1976 to 1994, the Kentucky coffeetree was the state tree of Kentucky, after which the tulip poplar was returned to that designation.

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