Common Name:

General Information

Leucaena pallida is a deciduous shrub or small tree with an open, irregular, spreading or narrow crown; usually growing 3 - 7 metres tall, occasionally to 10 metres. Even as a tree, it often rises from multiple stems (usually 2 - 4) which can be 10 - 15cm, occasionally to 30cm, in diameter[, ].
Cultivated extensively for its edible pods, seeds and flower head buds, often in combination with Leucaena esculenta and Leucaena confertiflora, being valued especially because it produces its edible pods earlier than Leucaena esculenta[, ]. The seeds and pods are often sold in local and regional markets[].
Few clearly natural populations of Leucaena pallida have been found and these are scattered and degraded. However, it is widespread in cultivation in parts of the highlands of south central Mexico and in some areas is extremely abundant in cultivation. 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 - southern Mexico (mainly Oaxaca, Puebla, Morelos and eastern Guerrero).

Habitat

Disturbed dry thorn forest, dry mattoral, oak forest, oak-pine forest and particularly in the oak-dry thorn forest transition zone; growing in shallow calcareous soils, at elevations from 1,100 - 2,300 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	6.00 m
Pollinators	Insects
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Leucaena pallida is a plant of moderate to higher regions in the tropics, where it is found at elevations from 1,100 - 2,300 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 16 - 24°c, but can tolerate 12 - 30°c[]. It experiences occasional light frosts in parts of its range, being able to tolerate occasional, short-lived lows down to perhaps -8°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 700 - 1,800mm, but tolerates 500 - 2,000mm[]. It grows in areas with a 5 - 7 month dry season[].
Grows best in a sunny position[]. Prefers a well-drained, fertile soil of light or medium texture[]. Found in the wild mainly in shallow, calcareous soils[]. Tolerates a moderate level of salt in the soil[]. Prefers a pH in the range 6.5 - 7.5, tolerating 4.5 - 8.5[].
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[].
The tree responds well to coppicing[].
The plant has moderate to high resistance to psyllid damage[].
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

Innature seeds - raw or cooked[, ]. The immature green seeds are stripped from the pods and eaten raw, roasted, dried, in soups, stews etc[]. They are often eaten raw as a snack when working in the field, Leucaena 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[]. They have a unique, lingering, garlic-like flavour[]. The seedpods turn red and open easily when the seeds are ready to eat[]. The seeds are 5 - 6mm wide and 6 - 8mm long; there are 20,000 - 25,000 seeds/kg[]

Young seedpods, leaves and flower buds are eaten as greens[, ]. The seedpods are glossy maroon when unripe, turning mid reddish- or orange-brown; they are 12 - 19 cm long by 14 - 18mm wide with around 3 - 5 seedpods produced by each flower head[].

Flower head buds are harvested and consumed locally as well as being transported and sold in local and regional market towns[].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

Lopped leaves and twigs can be applied as green manure[].
The plant shows moderate to high psyllid resistance and has been used in breeding programmes[].
The tree is often grown above other crops and also in hedgerow agroforestry systems[].

Other Uses

The wood is widely used for fuel[].

Propagation

Seed - it has a hard seedcoat 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.
Cuttings of semi-ripe wood.

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