Kentucky Coffee Tree circa 1898
Gymnocladus dioicus
A rare, but native tree to Canada, usually growing naturally only in two counties of southern Ontario. The genus name Gymnocladus is defined as "naked branch", signifying the prolonged length of time the tree is leafless. In the past, it was common practice to roast the seeds as a substitute for coffee beans, however the bitter taste did not prolong this ritual. The similarity in form and size of its seeds to actual coffee beans condones its present common name, coffee tree.