Yellowwood (Cladrastis kentuckea)
Paul Nelson
Yellowwood
Cladrastis kentukea
Family:
Fabaceae (beans)
Description:
Yellowwood is a medium-sized tree with a short trunk and a broad, open, rounded crown.
Leaves are alternate, feather-compound, 8–12 inches long, with 5–11 leaflets, not always in opposite pairs; leaflets oval to egg-shaped to broadest in the middle, 2–4 inches long, 1½–3½ inches wide, margin entire, abruptly pointed at the tip; leaf stalk enlarged at the base, enclosing a bud.
Bark is gray to light brown, thin, smooth.
Twigs are slender, smooth, shiny, zigzag, brittle, reddish-brown, pores numerous; bud at end of twig absent, side buds usually 2–4, clumped, appearing as one, hairy.
Flowers in May–June, in elongated, hanging clusters 10–14 inches long; flowers white, fragrant, about 1 inch long, pea-shaped with 5 petals; upper petal founded with a yellow blotch at the base.
Fruits in August–September. A flattened pod 3–4 inches long, late to split into 2 halves, persisting into winter. Seeds 2–6, flattened, dark brown.
Size:
Height: to 60 feet.
yellowwood.jpg
Yellowwood
Habitat and conservation:
Occurs along moist wooded slopes and bluffs and along rocky drainages in somewhat sheltered areas. Yellowwood is often planted as an ornamental. It grows well in partial shade or sun and is relatively free of serious insect pests and diseases. It grows slowly and its branches are somewhat brittle, making it relatively susceptible to storm damage.
Distribution in Missouri:
In nature, primarily limited to a few southwestern counties, but it's cultivated statewide.
Human connections:
Planted as an ornamental. The wood has been used for fuel and for gunstocks. Early Appalachian settlers made a yellow dye from the root bark (hence the common name).
Ecosystem connections:
Trees are homes for numerous animals, from insects to birds and more; they provide food for many other animals, such as the bees that visit their flowers and the many animals that chew on their leaves. With their canopies, trees provide a shady habitat essential for many plants and animals.
Similar Species
About Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines in Missouri
There are no sharp dividing lines between trees, shrubs, and woody vines, or even between woody and nonwoody plants. “Wood” is a type of tissue made of cellulose and lignin that many plants develop as they mature — whether they are “woody” or not. Trees are woody plants over 13 feet tall with a single trunk. Shrubs are less than 13 feet tall, with multiple stems. Vines require support or else sprawl over the ground.