yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea)
Family: Fabaceae
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| Form:
It grows to approximately 50 ft. maximum height and 2 ft. dbh and has a wide spreading crown. |
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Leaves: Shape: petiole swollen at base and enclosing bud; 7-11 leaflets Margin: entire Texture: silky pubescent below Variation: pinnate |
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| Bark:
It has thin smooth gray bark with light blotches. |
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| Twigs and Buds:
It’s twigs are smooth and yellowish-brown in color. Leaf scars nearly encircle buds and lateral buds are pubescent. |
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| Flowers and Fruit:
It has fragrant white flowers that appear in panicles. Fruit is a legume, brown and papery. |
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| Distinguishing Characteristics:
It is pinnately compound and the bud is enclosed in the petiole. |
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| Range:
Alabama northeast to southwest Virginia |
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| Silvics:
It is shade tolerant and grows on moist mountain slopes and calcareous bluffs. |
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| Ecological and Cultural Importance:
The wood yields a yellow dye and is used as paneling, gunstocks, and turning wood. |
