The Kentucky coffeetree is native to the eastern US and throughout the Midwest as far west as eastern Nebraska. Compared with its closest relatives, the redbud (Cercis canadensis) and honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos), Kentucky coffeetree remains underutilized in the landscape.  Its compound leaves, similar to those of the honeylocust, produce a welcome dappled shade allowing underplanting with shade tolerant herbaceous perennials.  Although it is often found in the moist soil along streambeds, it is highly adaptable to many soil types.  Additionally, it has few insect pests or diseases.

The species epithet dioicus informs us that this tree bears either male or female flowers.  Female trees produce 5-inch long seed-containing pods.  The species becomes a large, oval-crowned tree reaching heights of 60 feet.  At the Iowa Arboretum a female Kentucky coffeetree is found just south of the Cafferty Building.

Small gardens may not have room to accommodate the species tree.  That is why we are excited about a dwarf version growing at the Iowa Arboretum, currently identified as Gymnocladus dioicus ‘Compacta’.    This special plant was brought to the Arboretum in the mid 1980’s by plantsman Al Ferguson.  Al, a nurseryman from Cedar Point, Iowa, looked for unusual trees in his journeys throughout the state and shared these with local arboreta.

Our dwarf Kentucky coffeetree comes from one of three found in the town garden of Reginald Martin of Bangor in northwest Marshall County.  Reginald presumes they were planted prior to 1977 by the previous owner.  Because he reports three of them, we can assume they had been offered for sale by a local nursery but have been unable to trace the origin farther.  In 1989 the tree he brought to the Arboretum was moved from the nursery to its present location on the west side of the great lawn between the grand pavilion and the greenhouse. Brian Sparks propagated several specimens from root cuttings and planted one of these is in the Trees Near Utility Wires Collection.  Our trees do not have conspicuous flowers or pods and are therefore presumed to be male clones.

Interest in our tree led to a limited propagation effort this past winter by Richard Larson of the Dawes Arboretum and Andy Schmitz of the Brenton Arboretum.  We hope to offer one or two of these trees at the 2010 Green Tie Affair auction or future auctions. And we would like to register this tree as soon as we can come up with a more marketable name.  Please let us know if you have suggestions!