Plant Type

Tree

 

Height Range

25-40', 40-60'

 

Flower Color

White

 

Flower Season

Spring

 

Leaf Color

Green

 

Bark Color

Grey

 

Fruit Color

Brown

 

Fruit Season

Summer, Fall

Sun

Full

 

Water

Medium

 

Growth Rate

Moderate, Slow

 

Soil Type

Clay, Loam, Rocky

 

Soil Condition

Average, Rich, Poor, Well-drained

 

Soil pH

Neutral, Basic

 

Adverse Factors

n/a

Design Styles

English Cottage, Formal, Ranch, Woodland

 

Accenting Features

Fall Color, Fragrance, Showy Flowers

 

Seasonal Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall

 

Location Uses

Background, Entry, Lawn, Patio

 

Special Uses

Screen, Shade Tree, Small Spaces

 

Attracts Wildlife

n/a

Yellowwood is a deciduous tree of the legume family which features a broad, rounded crown; slow growing 30 to 50 feet tall and wide. Pinnately compound leaves open yellowish green, turn bright green in summer, and then yellow in fall. May not flower for the first 8-10 years, but once the bloom begins, it can be spectacular. Intensely fragrant, wisteria-like, white flowers in large, drooping panicles (10-15" long) will virtually cover a mature tree in late spring (profuse bloom in alternate years). Flowers give way to flat, brown seed pods (2.5-4" long) which mature in September thru October. Wood of this tree contains a yellow dye which distinctively colors the heartwood and gives rise to the common name.

Grow in well-drained soil in full sun; best growth in organic soils. Tolerates high pH soils. Prune in summer only because cuts made in winter or spring tend to bleed considerably. Hardy to USDA Zone 4. Excellent, low-maintenance, small shade tree for residential landscapes, particularly on smaller properties. Also useful near patios and terraces. Roots go deep, so other plants may be easily grown underneath. Cladrastis lutea and Cladrastis kentuckea are synonymous.