Leaf Identification

The leaves of the Yellowwood are pinnately compound, alternately arranged on the stem, with unlobed leaflets that are pinnately veined and alternately arranged on the main petiole. The leaflets have variable shape but are 3-4″, dark green above and pale green below, with a slightly acuminate tip. The leaf can reach 1′ in length, and the leaflets will turn yellow in the fall.

Twig and Bud Identification

Young twigs are soft and hairy, although they lose the hair over time. Mature twigs are dark reddish-brown with pale lenticels (pores). The leaf scars are cream-colored and bowl-shaped. The terminal buds are conical, yellowish-brown, and concealed within the terminal petiole until it breaks off in the fall.

Bark Identification

The bark of the Yellowwood is generally smooth, often lichen-covered, and can have “etchings” or other irregular raised bumps along its surface.

Fruit Identification

The fruit of the Yellowwood is a flat, slender pod holding multiple seeds. The pods are light brown when mature and up to 4″ in length. The fruits ripen in late summer.

Flower Identification

The flowers of the Yellowwood are mounted on long hanging panicles, with compound peduncles branching off of the main peduncle, holding flowers on shorter pedicels. The flowers are white, fragrant, and irregularly five-petaled (though they may appear to have only four). The flowers bloom in late spring.