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Southern Gardening

Coffee Tree

16 years ago

My ancestors migrated from middle Tennessee to western Kentucky around 1850. My grandfather told me that after they were settled in Kentucky a great uncle rode his horse down to Tennessee and brought back some coffee trees from the old home place there. He planted them on the new farm in Kentucky.

I have a nostalgic interest in these coffee trees. Are they still around these days? Where could I get one? Are they hard to grow? Is there any reason why I would not want one growing in my yard? I welcome any information on these trees.

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Comments (2)

Iris GW
16 years ago
Common names can be hard to reconcile sometimes. He may have been talking about Kentucky Coffeetree, Gymnocladus dioicus.

If so, yes that is certainly around and a tree much appreciated by some.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
16 years ago
Yes, your family story would have to be centered around the Kentucky Coffeetree. Coffee (as in the beverage) plants, Coffea arabica, are sub-tropical shrubs.
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