Cladrastis kentukea: American Yellowwood

Yellowwood is so named because the freshly cut heartwood is a muted to brilliant yellow color, and the wood is known to yield a yellow dye. This seldom-used, native, deciduous tree makes a very striking specimen or shade tree, reaches 30 to 50 feet, rarely 75 feet in height, with a broad, rounded canopy and a vase-shaped, moderately dense silhouette. Smooth, grey to brown bark; bright green, pinnately compound, 8- to 12-inch-long leaflets; and a strikingly beautiful display of white, fragrant blossoms make yellowwood a wonderful choice for multiple landscape uses.