Why Plant Espresso™ Kentucky Coffeetree?
We’re excited about this tree, and it’s not just the caffeine talking. Espresso™ Kentucky Coffee Tree is a regal shade tree that projects a commanding presence. It will rise up tall and proud in your landscape, eventually developing a vase-like shape. Its chunky limbs and rugged, flaky bark paint a bold picture, but its delicate leaflets provide a satisfying contrast of textures. Espresso’s small leaflets also allow a fair amount of light to pass through the canopy, making it easy for you to grow lawn, wildflowers, or perennials underneath the tree. If you have the room, this underused but distinguished tree is a worthy addition to your landscape.
Coffee anyone? The Kentucky Coffee Tree gives off a tropical vibe, though it’s native to the U.S. This majestic tree is found throughout the lower Midwest, but only in isolated patches. It gets its name from the fact that settlers used to roast and grind its seeds to make a coffee substitute. The roasting was an important step, because the seeds are toxic if eaten raw. It’s doubtful that the Coffee Tree drink tasted any good, because once the settlers had access to the real thing, they never made it again. The Espresso™ Coffee Tree was selected at J. Frank Schmidt Nursery in Boring, Oregon. It’s a male variety, so it doesn’t produce seeds (or messy seed pods) at all.
How to use Espresso™ Kentucky Coffeetree in the landscape?
The Espresso™ Coffee Tree is one of the last trees to leaf out in the spring, so be patient! When the foliage does emerge, it’s a bright pink color, maturing to a cool blue-green. In fall, the leaflets turn a wonderful radiant yellow, while the leaf stems take on hot pink tones.
Planting Zones
Hardiness Zones: 4-8
How To Plant Espresso™ Kentucky Coffeetree
Looking for an easy-to-please shade tree? The Espresso™ Coffee Tree is simple to grow and forgiving of harsh conditions. Give it a site in full sun. Deep, loamy soils on the alkaline side suit it best, but this tree tolerates poor soil. It can also handle extreme heat and humidity, winter lows to -30°F, de-icing salts, and air pollution! Coffee Trees have no major pest or disease issues to worry about.
How To Water
Irrigate with the Bower & Branch Elements™ Watering System to help your tree get off to a strong start. Once established, Espresso™ will be quite drought tolerant.
How To Fertilize
During fall, feed your Kentucky Coffeetree Bower & Branch Elements Starter Plant Food once a year for about the first 3 or 4 years - this will give your tree all the nutrients it needs.
How To Prune
Young trees will have very little branching, and no pruning will be needed; however, suckers may appear from the roots from time to time and should be pulled out.
How Does Shipping Work?
Bower & Branch Trees, the real BIG trees, don’t fit in a box! Our big trees, sizes XL and bigger, require expert delivery and care, that means our extra-large trees are shipped on Bower & Branch trucks. We are the only ones who know how to ship our big and bigger trees and plants with tender loving care. We deliver your trees and plants directly to you. Ask Bower & Branch about planting services – we'd be happy to assist in installation.
*For Big trees and Shrubs, Size XL and bigger: Review our Seasonal Shipping Timelines and Policy here.
Your trees and plants are grown across the United States at various Bower & Branch Growers. Depending on your location, your plant orders may be shipped from various locations. Please expect orders with multiple items to be delivered over a number of days as a result. Orders made up of numerous items or selections will not arrive at your home on the same day.
Shipping Delays:
From time to time, Bower & Branch Growers may determine to delay order shipment based on various factors for plant health. Weather in your region, as well as, where your plants are grown, is always considered when shipping. Extreme weather conditions may delay some or all of your order. Bower & Branch allows our Growers to make final shipping decisions based solely to benefit your trees and plants’ health and success.
How Does Sizing Work?
The size of our trees have nothing to do with the container size like you may find elsewhere–big doesn't mean just height - it’s also vigor, age, and overall health. Other online retailers are going to tell you that a plant is a seven gallon, that means nothing to your tree or plant (or you.)
Our trees for sale online are graded on large, x-large, and even bigger sizes. This is because our trees are sized by their age—the higher the letter, the more mature the tree. The age determines the trees’ overall height, size of the trunk and the overall branch density.
All of these characteristics are what you should be looking for when choosing a tree for immediate impact and instant curb appeal. Our extra-large tree and plant sizes are sure to wow you and your neighbors!
See the size guides below.
