Yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea) is a lovely tree in all seasons. Native to areas of North Carolina, Kentucky, and Tennessee, the Yellowwood tree is adorned with stunning blooms of hanging white flowers in the spring and glows a charming pale yellow in the autumn. Part of the pea family, the Yellowwood’s spring flowers are similar to lupine blossoms, and almost have the appearance of a wisteria tree, though the flowers are far less abundant and do not take up the entire foliage. This tree gets its common name “from the yellow color of its heartwood when freshly cut” Additionally, “the root bark of yellowwood was used as a dye by early settlers in the southern Appalachians.” The Yellowwood’s fruit, seedpods, ripen in the fall. (Source).
If Trees Could Sing…
Click here to see Bill Lloyd talk about one of his favorite trees. Video courtesy of The Nature Conservancy and Bill Lloyd.
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Photos taken at Old Town February and April 2021, June 2022.