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Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. Blunting Effect Boring Carving Certified Source Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Gymnocladus dioicus Trade Name Kentucky coffeetree Family Name Common Names Chicot, Coffe nut, Coffetree, Dead tree, Kentucky coffeetree, Kentucky mahogany, Knicker tree, Mahogany bean, Stump tree Regions of Distribution North America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Canada, United States Common Uses Bedroom suites, Building construction, Cabinetmaking, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Construction, Crossties, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Foundation posts, Fuelwood, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Hatracks, Kitchen cabinets, Living-room suites, Office furniture, Posts, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Railroad ties, Rough construction, Rustic furniture, Stakes, Stools, Tables , Utility furniture, Wardrobes Environmental Profile Abundant/Secure Vulnerable Vulnerable in parts of its natural habitat Generally widespread, secure, and abundant within most of its range Extinct, Endangered, Vulnerable, or Rare within significant parts of its range Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center Data source is Nature Conservancy Distribution Overview The Kentucky coffee tree grows in moist woods, creek banks, and flood plains. It is mainly found in the Midwest from western Ohio to eastern Kansas and Oklahoma, southern Michigan to northern Alabama and Tennessee. The tree was much planted around farm houses and may now be maintained as ornamentals around newer buildings. Often found in floodplain forests, but may appear in other habitats. Heartwood Color Red Brown Pink Purple Black Light to dark reddish brown Light brown Sapwood Color White Red Brown Green/Grey Yellow Well defined Greenish white Grain Even Straight Straight The grain pattern has been compared to that of Ash and Red elm. Texture Coarse Medium Resinous and oily Coarse Luster Medium High Low Natural Durability Susceptible to insect attack Durable Moderately durable Non-resistant to powder post beetles Resistant to termites Resistant to powder post beetles Perishable Non-resistant to marine borers Non-durable Resistant to decay Odor Has an odor No specific smell or taste Toxicity Some toxic effects Drying Defects Splitting Distortion Checking Collapse Internal Honeycombing Possible Resin Exudation Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Rapidly Gum Exudation Slowly Moderately Difficult to Difficult Little degrade Difficult to dry without splitting Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries quickly Naturally dries slowly Drying rate is fairly rapid to fast Tree Size Tree height is 30-40 m Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Bole length is 20-30 m Bole length is 10-20 m Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 40-50 m Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Bole length is 30-40 m Product Sources The commercial importance of Kentucky coffeetree is diminished by its sparse distribution, although it is described as a handsome wood that takes a high polish and finishes to a high luster. With the exception of its growth areas, the wood is very scarce, and is usually marketed in a mixture with other hardwoods. It is priced in the medium range when available. Certified Source Certified Source Blunting Effect Moderate Little Boring Fairly easy to very easy Fair to good results Fairly difficult to very difficult Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Surface Preparation Fair to Good Results Carefully Controlled Conditions Glues well Mortising Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Poor to Very Poor Results Movement in Service Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Unstable with Poor Stability - Large Movement Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Poor to Very Poor Results Tends to split during nailing Holds nails well Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Easy to plane Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Responds Readily Routing & Recessing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Sanding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Screwing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Holds screws well Turning Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Veneering Qualities Suitable for peeling Veneers easily Veneers moderately easy Difficult to veneer Suitable for slicing Steam Bending Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Painting Good results Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Surface Preparation Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Excellent results Staining Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Surface Preparation Good staining qualities Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 11368 psi Specific Gravity 0.46 0.4 Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 799 kg/cm2 References Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois, E.M. Wengert. 1988. Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Hardwoods - Temperate and Tropical. USDA, Forest Service, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. Kaiser, J. 1990. Wood of the Month Annual - Coffeetree:The Tree with the Coffee Taste. Supplement to Wood and Wood Products, September, 1990, Page 14A. Kline, M. 1983. Gymnocladus dioicus - Kentucky coffeetree. In A Guide to Useful Woods of the World. Flynn Jr., J.H., Editor. King Philip Publishing Co., Portland, Maine. Page 185. Little, E.L. 1980. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees - Eastern Region. Published by Arthur A. Knopf, New York. Panshin, A.J. and C. deZeeuw. Textbook of Wood Technology. McGraw-Hill Series in Forest Resources. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York. USDA. 1987. Wood Handbook - Wood as an Engineering Material, United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Agriculture Handbook No. 72, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. USDA. 1988. Dry Kiln Operators Manual, Preliminary Copy. Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.