American Yellowwood Plant Care

American Yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea) belongs to the Fabaceae family within the Cladrastis genus. American Yellowwood is native to the Southeastern United States, with a restricted range from western North Carolina west to eastern Oklahoma, and from southern Missouri and Indiana south to central Alabama. American Yellowwood is also known as Yellowwood, Kentucky Yellowwood, Cladrastis albiflora.

American Yellowwood displays a medium-sized deciduous tree growth habit, reaching up to 30 ft tall with a spread of approximately 25 ft. American Yellowwood produces showy clusters of white flowers in late spring to early summer.

Leaf size: approximately 6 inches.

Water a young or newly planted American Yellowwood every 7–10 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established trees mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

American Yellowwood thrives in full sun to partial shade.

Cladrastis kentukea tolerates temperatures of 0–100°F. American Yellowwood prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.

Rich, well-draining loamy soil with added organic matter. Good drainage is essential for American Yellowwood to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed American Yellowwood every 6 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established trees in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun to partial shade and rich, well-draining loamy soil with added organic matter. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

American Yellowwood is suited to USDA Zone 4 – 8.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped trees in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

American Yellowwood can spread to about 25 ft (7.6 m) and reach about 30 ft (9 m) tall. Space plants about 25 ft (7.6 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the tree spacing calculator.

Prune American Yellowwood while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the tree in one year.

American Yellowwood is hardy down to USDA zone 4, so once established it can stay outdoors through winter in that zone and warmer ones.

Water deeply in late autumn before the ground freezes, and spread a 5–8 cm (2–3 in) layer of mulch over the root zone, keeping it away from the trunk.

Young and container-grown trees need extra protection: roots in a pot freeze much more easily than roots in the ground.

American Yellowwood can be propagated through seeds, root cuttings.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

American Yellowwood is susceptible to aphids, caterpillars, leafhoppers. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

American Yellowwood grows outdoors in USDA Zone 4 – 8. It survives winters down to planting zone 4a. American Yellowwood is native to the Southeastern United States, with a restricted range from western North Carolina west to eastern Oklahoma, and from southern Missouri and Indiana south to central Alabama.