Common Name:

General Information

Leucaena collinsii is a deciduous tree with a wide, open crown; usually growing 10 - 15 metres tall, but exceptionally to 20 metres. The bole, which often has a pronounced lean, can be free of branches for 3 - 5 metres and 20 - 40cm in diameter[, ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of fuel. It is often cultivated, or at least protected in the wild, for its edible pods and seeds; and is also coppiced in semi-managed plantations as a source of wood and fuel[, , ]. The seedpods are often sold in local and regional markets[, ].
Although highly restricted in distribution, and hence globally rare, both subspecies are often locally very abundant, ruderal and sometimes weedy[]. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

C. America - Guatemala to southern Mexico.

Habitat

Seasonally dry deciduous forests of the inland valleys usually affected by rain shadows, at elevations from 100 - 900 metres[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	12.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Semi-cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the seasonally dry tropics, where the dry season can be up to 6 - 7 months long[]. It is found at elevations up to 900 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 22 - 30°c, but can tolerate 16 - 36°c[]. When dormant, the plant can survive temperatures down to about -10°c, but young growth can be severely damaged at -2°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 900 - 2,500mm, but tolerates 700 - 3,000mm[].
Requires a sunny position[]. Succeeds in a range of well drained soils[]. Prefers a pH in the range 6.5 - 8, tolerating 5 - 8.5[]. Established plants are notably drought tolerant[, ].
Leucaena collinsii, and particularly the subsp. zacapana, produce abundant seed from an early age and, as demonstrated by its dominance of bush fallows in its native range in Guatemala, poses significant risks of becoming a ruderal weed of open disturbed habitats where introduced, but is likely to be less weedy than Leucaena leucocephala[].
The plant responds well to coppicing[, ].
The unripe seedpods are harvested by climbing the trees and lopping the terminal branches or groups of pods, often crudely, with machetes, small knives or cutting poles. Annual pollarding in this way apparently causes only limited damage to the trees which resprout and fruit annually[].
Secondary stands are managed in parts of Guatemala on a four year coppice rotation specifically for fuel wood production[].
This species, especially the subsp. collinsii) is one of the most psyllid-resistant members of the genus[].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[].

Edible Uses

Immature seed - raw or cooked[, ]. They have a unique, lingering, garlic-like flavour[]. Often eaten raw as a snack when working in the field, the seeds are also often used as a garnish on cooked foods or added to stews, mixed with beans and maize tortillas etc. After removal from the pods, the unripe seeds can be dried and stored for later use or ground into a flour and mixed with wheat, corn etc[]. The seedpods turn red and open easily when the seeds are ready to eat[]. The seeds are 6 - 9mm long and 4 - 6mm wide[].

The young seedpods, leaves and flower buds are eaten as greens[]. The pods are 11 - 18cm long and 0.7 - 1.9cm wide, containing 9 - 20 seeds[, ].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

The lopped leaves and twigs are applied as green manure[].
Trees, especially of ssp. Collinsii, are planted at field boundaries and around houses as a living fence[].

Other Uses

This species is one of the most psyllid resistant leucaena species and it has been used in breeding programmes to improve the resistance of other species[].

A gum exudes from the trunk[]. It has similar properties to gum arabic (obtained from Acacia spp., especially Acacia senegal)[].

This species is noted for its superior wood quality compared to most other members of the genus. It is of a high density, with a high proportion of heartwood from an early age and is very durable. It is highly valued, especially by local farmers, for house construction and for use as poles and fence posts[, ]. The subspecies zacapana is even denser that the species type, and is extremely valued for its dense wood with abundant heartwood[].
The wood is prized as a fuel[].

Propagation

Seed - it has a hard seedcoat and may benefit from scarification before sowing in order 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.
The seed retains its viability for a long period if stored under conditions of less than 10 % moisture content at less than 4°c in hermetically sealed containers[].

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