Common Name:

General Information

Albizia niopoides is a deciduous tree with an open, wide-spreading, umbrella-shaped crown; it can grow 10 - 35 metres tall. The bole is often short, it is usually 40 - 60cm in diameter, though one old specimen has been measured at 240cm in diameter[, , ].
The tree yields a low quality timber which is sometimes gathered from the wild for local use. Fast growing, it can be used in soil stabilization and reforestation projects, and is also grown in plantations to provide shade and organic matter. A very beautiful tree, it is widely grown in the tropics and subtropics as an ornamental in parks etc[, ].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas; C. America - Costa Rica to Mexico; Caribbean.

Habitat

Semideciduous forests, where it is found in both dense primary formations and in secondary growth[]. Dry tropical forests at elevations up to 1,000 metres[]. Occasionally found on coastal sands[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	25.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the lowland tropics where it can be found at elevations up to 1,000 metres. It grows best in areas where the mean annual rainfall is within the range 500 - 2,500mm[]. It is usually found in areas with a pronounced dry season of 4 - 7 months[].
Prefers a sunny position[]. Prefers a deep, well-drained, alluvial soil rich in organic matter[, ]. A very wind-tolerant species, able to withstand hurricane-grade winds[]. Established plants are drought tolerant[].
A fast growing tree, easily reaching a height of 4 metres within 2 years from seed[].
Plants can recover after a forest fire[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The saponin-rich roots are used to heal contusions and angina[].

The boiled bark is used to heal scorpion bites[].

Agroforestry Uses:

A natural pioneer species, it grows quickly and also fixes atmospheric nitrogen. It stabilizes the soil and can be used in reforestation projects[, ].
The tree is grown in coffee plantations in order to provide shade and organic matter for enriching the soil[, ].
The flowers provide good forage for bees[].

Other Uses

The roots are rich in saponins[]. This report does not mention a use of the roots, but saponin-rich woods are often used to make a natural soap[].

The heartwood is light, yellowish-brown to light brown; the sapwood is whitish. The wood is moderately hard[]. A report from Brazil says that the wood is light in weight, not very compact, soft to cut, of low resistance to wood-eating organisms[]; whilst another from the Caribbean says that it is heavy, with medium texture, low durability, easy to work and polishes well[]. In Brazil, it is used only for items such as wainscoting, lathe work and making cheap items such as pencils and toys[]. In the Caribbean it can be used for heavy construction, furniture, floors etc[].
The wood is used for fuel[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a partially shaded position in a nursery seedbed. A germination rate of less than 30% can be expected, with the seed sprouting within 10 - 40 days[].
The seed of most, if not all, members of this genus develops a hard seedcoat as it matures and may benefit from scarification before sowing to speed up germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing.
When the seedlings are 3 - 5cm tall, pot them up into individual containers and they should be ready to plant out four months later[].

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