I planted this Kentucky Coffee Tree in 2012 and it has flowered for the first time. The fragrance is not overpowering, but still very pleasant. You seldom hear the flowers mentioned as an ornamental feature, but quite nice. They're not showy and or easily seen because of foliage, but this is an understated and underappreciated feature of KCT.
Now that you've lifted its bloomers, did you determine whether you've adopted a boy or a girl?
Wow Pseudo! I lived next door for 15 years from a wealthy woman who had three 30 foot ones installed and NEVER watered them. I didn't know that they were capable of bloom, because they never did. She also had installed the a magnificent 8 year old redbud, the loveliest I have ever seen. She didn't water it. It died. Then there were 5 white pines and, you guessed it, then there were two.
Thank you for showing me how beautiful they can be with care.
Wow.
I've got a 20ft tall tree and have never noticed the bloom!
I've got to get in the habit of looking up!
I love the bark texture.
Now that you've lifted its bloomers, did you determine whether you've adopted a boy or a girl?
I took some pictures of my KCT's trunk. Neat fluted ridges & swirls.
From looking at on-line images, looks like it may lose some bark character with maturity.
I planted mine 15yrs ago - seems unfair for Pseudo to have flowers and not me.
I looked up 'til I got a crook in my neck and see no sign of flowers, past or present.
I just realized that my previous post would indictate that I've got both male and female flowers. Since this is impossible, I should've explained that the flowers on my tree are longer and fragrant, which would indicate it's a female. Sorry for the confusion.
Or (since you haven't inspected them closely for staminate or pistillate parts, hint hint) you may very well have a very well, um, er, endowed male tree...
I have a series of male trees planted around the Valley - which I know I have images of the flowers from, but for the life of me can't put my hands on them.
The Valley is also home to a grove of older existing trees that are female, and produce seed annually. There are many ancient trees in central Kentucky; here are some images of some large specimens at Griffith Woods nearby...
Geesh, I love the bark...I'm sold! Thanks for the images.
