Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Fabaceae

Genus:

Cladrastis

Species:

Cladrastis kentukea

USDA Symbol:

CLKE

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Tree

Height:

1500 cm

Light Requirements:

Part Shade

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

may,jun

Bloom Colors:

white, cream

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fragrant:

Yes

Fall Color:

yellow

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

prefers fertile soils in native range

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

14–42 days

Notes:

Scarification of the hard seed coat followed by cold stratification improves germination. Seeds may also respond to hot water treatment.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI