Kentucky coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus), also known as the American coffee berry, is a medium-sized, dioecious tree that can reach upwards of 70 feet tall at maturity. The scientific name ...

In the cold Kentucky rain In the cold Kentucky rain When Eddie Rabbitt and Richard Heard wrote “Kentucky Rain” for Elvis Presley, maybe they were inspired by the Kentucky coffeetree.

The Kentucky coffeetree is commonly found in the Midwest, including a large swath of Illinois, and parts of the South. Toxins are present in the tree’s leaves and seeds (KDVR).

A spokesperson told KDVR that Kentucky coffeetree seeds can be toxic to pets, and there are more than 3,100 planted throughout the system — some of which are believed to be 80-100 years old.

When North America’s large herbivores faded into extinction, the North American native Kentucky coffee tree lost its primary agents of dispersal. A member of the legume family, the tree’s 5 ...