Nuts!

Technically not nuts, but more on that below. I picked these up a couple springs ago with the intent of photographing them and confirming the tree from which they came. I found them beneath what I believed to be a Honey Locust, but now I'm not so sure. I will check with my plant systematics guru. The diameter of these seeds is about the same as a U.S. penny (¾" or 19mm): this is definitely a macro shot.

From my expert: “Interesting. You found a third example of the Kentucky coffee tree (Gymnocladus dioicus). And your ‘nuts’ are actually seeds. Check the internet for all their uses! I knew about two other trees in the general vicinity…”

» Species pages: [ PhytoImages ] [ USDA ] [ Illinois Wildflowers ]

University of Florida » “This is a medium-growing tree that will reach a height of about 70 feet while spreading 45 to 60 feet. The state tree of Kentucky should be used more often because it is adaptable to many soils, including alkaline, has interesting bark and grows with an open canopy allowing light to penetrate to the ground for adequate turf growth beneath the canopy. The coarse branch texture in the winter is also quite unique, forming an interesting silhouette of only several large branches.”

Missouri Botanical Garden » “Gymnocladus dioica, commonly called Kentucky coffeetree or coffeetree, is a tall deciduous tree with rough, scaly gray-brown bark and large bipinnate compound leaves. It is native to the Midwest, primarily southern Michigan and Ohio southwest to Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. It grows 60-80' (less frequently to 100') tall with an irregular open oval to obovate crown. In Missouri, it typically occurs in low or rich woods, bluff bases and along streams (Steyermark). Large leaves to 3' long, divided into 3-7 pairs of pinnae, with individual leaflets (1-3" long). Leaflets are blue-green in summer, turning an undistinguished yellow in fall. Larger trees typically cast light shade. As the specific epithet suggests, the species is dioecious (separate male and female trees). Greenish white flowers appear in late spring (May-June). Male flowers in clusters to 4" long. Female flowers in panicles to 12" long. Female flowers are fragrant. Fertilized female flowers give way to flattened reddish brown pods (to 10" long) which ripen in October and persist well into winter. Native Americans and early American settlers, especially those in the Kentucky territory, roasted and ground the seeds to brew a coffee-like beverage (albeit no caffeine), hence the common name. Native Americans roasted the seeds for food. Seeds are very toxic prior to roasting, and should never be eaten fresh off the tree. Trees are late to leaf out in spring and are one of the first to drop leaves in the fall.

“Genus name come from gumnos meaning naked and klados meaning branch as the tree is bare of leaves for many months.

“Specific epithet means dioecious, having separate male and female plants.”

[ IMG_9149S9x675ACstm :: 60mm ]

6th November 2019 6th Nov 19