Gymnocladus dioicus (also given as dioica and dioicous) and G. canadensis of the family Leuminosae, the legume or pea family
The frequent designation "Kentucky" coffeetree would be more correctly given as "American" since it grows in several states throughout the East, Mideast, and Northeast of the USA, and in some areas of Canada. It is sometimes incorrectly designated as a mahogany. It is heavy and strong but not very hard and it is coarse grained in a way that makes it look a lot like red oak and sassafras. Reportedly, the beans of the tree CAN be used to make coffee, but only in a slightly more reasonable way than using mud to make chocolate.
my samples:
two views of a plank contributed by Chris Arvidson, whom I thank for this and other contributions
end grain closeup of the piece directly above
same plank as directly above, but moistened with water --- as you can see, this is one of those woods where a finishing agent muddies the separation between early and late growth on the end grain.
both sides of a Kentucky coffee tree sample plank listed as Gymnocladus dioicus
end grain and end grain closeup of the sample plank directly above
both sides of a flat cut sample plank of Kentucky coffee tree / Gymnocladus dioicus
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
both sides of a quartersawn sample plank of Kentucky coffee tree / Gymnocladus dioicus --- I'm don't know what the black stain is
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
This veneer sheet was loaned to me by John Koehn whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.
flat cut, quartersawn, end grain
coffee tree (Gymnocladus canadensis) from The Wood Book --- both levels of enlargement are avaiable for all 3 views
web pics
flat cut planks --- color looks too orange/yellow to me; wood may have been moistened
quartersawn plank --- color looks too orange/yellow to me; wood may have been moistened
planks
planks listed as "Kentucky" coffee tree, which is a designation I sometimes see, but which I believe is just a synonym for coffee tree and does not designate a separate subspecies. The bright orange color on the first one seems totally unrealistic to me, as does the bright yellow on the last one.
more "Kentucky" coffee tree planks --- color looks very realistic to me
log half listed as "Kentucky" coffee tree
both sides of a Kentucky coffee tree plank
veneer listed as Kentucky coffee tree
three planks and a closeup of the most interesting of the three
