ILLINOIS TREES: SELECTION, PLANTING. AND CARE 



121 



Yellowwood 



Yellow wood (CJadmstis lutea) (Fig. 107) with its broad, 

 round, graceful crown, reaches a height of 50-60 feet and has a 

 branch spread of 40-50 feetv It prefers rich, well-drained soil, 

 especially the limestone ridges along stream banks. It is used 

 as a specimen tree in ornamental plantings but is somewhat diffi- 

 cult to transplant. 



The alternate, compound leaves (Fig. 107 inset) are 8-12 

 inches long and composed of 7-11 elliptical to egg-shaped, 

 smooth, bright green leaflets that are 2%-4 inches long. The 

 foliage turns bright yellow in autumn. The beautiful, white, 

 fragrant, 1-inch-long, conspicuous, perfect flowers are produced 

 in 10- to 16-inch-long, drooping clusters. The fruit is 2'5i.-3i/i 

 inches long. It is a narrow, flattened, leguminous pod that splits 

 open at maturity. Each pod contains three to six oblong, com- 

 pressed seeds. The thin, smooth, steel gray, beechlike bark be- 

 comes fissured with age. The wood is light, hard, and strong. 

 The freshly cut, clean, yellow heartwood soon turns brown. Yel- 

 lowwood is relatively free of diseases and insect pests. However, 

 an occasional tree is affected by Verticillium wilt. 



Fig. 107.— Yellowwood is 

 a medium-sized tree noted 

 for its conspicuous clusters 

 of beautiful and fragrant 

 flowers. Its compound 

 leaves (inset) are com- 

 posed of 7-11 elliptical or 

 egg-shaped leaflets. 



