Kentucky Coffee tree?

[KurtFromJersey]

What can you guys tell me about it? It's a rare find in NJ and will picking up 2 12' stalks tomorrow from my tree surgeon neighbor. Thanks in advance, Kurt

 

[lmbeachy]

We have one growing in front of our Fire Station in Greenwood, DE. This year there are about 4 or 5 little ones growing. They are about a foot high.

 

[woodshop]

Rare but not that rare. Go down to Fairmount park that runs down into the city of Philadelphia, and you will find lots of huge tall Kentucky Coffeetrees along the creek. Pretty wood, but never milled any.

 

[ropensaddle]

Settlers boiled the otherwise poison pods to make a coffee
to me they resemble locust and they occur on river bottoms
across the country.

 

[Stihl-in-Ky]

It is a pretty wood sort of like ash after it is milled but more of a light reddish blonde it is hard and heavy when machining in the shop it will burn when left on bits or blades to long and the burn marks start out if light as a purple color the whole tree even the seed pods contain arsnick so you should wear a dust mask the same as when using spalted maple.
This is a picture of some that I milled back in the spring of this year.

 

[KurtFromJersey]

Thanks Guys! I'll be milling it up this weekend and will be sure to post some pictures! It sure is some heavy stuff. It put my 843 Bobcat on it's nose loading it!

 

[cantcutter]

Its a weed... I cut one out of my yard about 2 years ago and still cant kill the thing.... grind the stump and the roots sprout. I sprayed it last year and it grew back this year. Weed torch this year...see if it comes back next.