Wisconsin's rare plants

Kentucky coffee-tree has very large, bipinnately compound leaves that grow to nearly 1m in length with many pairs of sharply pointed, egg-shaped 3-8cm x 1.5-4cm leaflets. It has spike-like flower heads 6-20cm long, open, and growning from the ends of the branches. Flowers are numerous, greenish-white, star-shaped, and covered with tiny soft hairs. The petals are 8-10mm long, oblong or inversely lance-shaped. Seed pods are oblong, flattened, 8-25cm long and 3-5cm wide, seeds are 10-15mm long, bean-shaped, thick and hard, and in a sticky pulp when fresh.

Blooming occurs throughout June, fruiting early-July through early-September.

Perennial. This species can be identified year-round.

Associated species include Fraxinus pennsylvanica, F americana, Tilia americana, Acer saccharum, Juglans nigra, Celtis occidentalis, Carya cordiformis, and Betula nigra.

Kentucky coffee-tree is found in rich alluvial or mesic forests.

Avoid locating landings, staging areas, or access routes on or near known populations.

Avoid broadcast spraying of herbicides and use care with spot spraying.

Minimize disturbance to hydrology, including soil disturbance from rutting.

Although maintaining high overall forest canopy is important, silvicultural techniques that open small gaps in the canopy may be beneficial to this species. Seedlings and saplings of some species in openings may need to be protected from deer browse.

Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) are associated with habitats (or natural communities) and places on the landscape. Understanding relationships among SGCN, natural communities and ecological landscapes help us make decisions about issues affecting SGCN and their habitat and how to respond. Download the Wildlife Action Plan association score spreadsheet to explore rare species, natural communities and ecological landscape associations

Conservation actions respond to issues or threats, which adversely affect species of greatest conservation need (SGCN) or their habitats. Besides actions such as restoring wetlands or planting resilient tree species in northern communities, research, surveys and monitoring are also among conservation actions described in the Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan because lack of information can threaten our ability to successfully preserve and care for natural resources.