Kentucky Coffee Tree

Kentucky Coffee is a deciduous tree native to Ontario that is starting to gain popularity as a street tree due to its adaptability and drought resistance. It has compound leaves that are composed of small green leaflets that emerge with a pinkish-bronze hue in the spring before maturing to a dark green by summer and turning shades of yellow and old before dropping in the fall. The tree provides dappled shade, making it a great choice for a backyard or by a garden. The bark is grayish-brown and has deep cracks and furrows, providing winter interest. It produces somewhat inconspicuous male and female flowers on separate trees. Female trees, if pollinated, will develop large brown seed pods that hold onto the tree through winter. 

Kentucky Coffee tree grows best in full to part sun with moist, fertile, well-drained soil. However, it will adapt to many different soil types, including dry, alkaline, and compacted. Once established, it is drought-tolerant, though it should be watered deeply and regularly when young.