American Yellowwood

American yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea, Fabaceae) is a deciduous tree native to the southeastern United States (North Carolina, Tennessee, and surrounding states), where it occurs naturally on limestone cliffs and ridges. It reaches 30 to 50 feet tall with low branching and a broad, rounded crown of delicate branches. Odd-pinnately compound leaves (20 to 30 centimeters, 7 to 9 leaflets) turn yellow-orange in fall. Small, fragrant white flowers hang in pendulous clusters in May to June, followed by brown legume pods.

American yellowwood grows in sun to part shade on well-drained soils across a broad pH range (4.8 to 7.5) with low water needs and drought tolerance once established, hardy in Zones 4a to 8b. Growth is moderate, reaching about 25 feet at 20 years. No pest or disease issues are documented. No cultivars are in the trade. The tree provides nesting sites for songbirds and pollen and nectar for bees and pollinators.