Common Name:

General Information

Leucaena salvadorensis is a semi-deciduous tree with a narrow, open crown; usually growing 10 - 15 metres tall, but occasionally to 20 metres. The bole is usually 20 - 50cm in diameter, but can reach 50 - 100cm in some older trees[, ]. Trees are typically branchy from low down when young but may have a short, clear bole up to 5 metres tall when older[]. They can retain some leaves when the dry season is short, but generally lose them all when the season is longer[].
Considered one of the best species in the genus for wood production, the tree is commonly harvested from the wild and also sometimes cultivatedfor its wood. It is sometimes planted for erosion control.
Leucaena salvadorensis occupies a limited distribution and is never locally abundant. Forest cover has been reduced to scattered small remnants throughout its distribution. As a result it is now rare in many parts of its range. However, the obvious conservation threat to this species is mitigated by deliberate retention, protection and management of trees in traditional agroforestry systems by farmers who use the wood[]. The plant is classified as 'Near Threatened' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

C. America - Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador.

Habitat

Seasonally dry forest formations, almost always on slopes[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Near Threatened
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Semi-deciduous Tree
Height	12.00 m
Pollinators	Bees
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Leucaena salvadorensis is a plant of the dry to moist tropics, where it is found at elevations from 200 - 1,000 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 25 - 30°c, but can tolerate 20 - 35°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 800 - 2,000mm, but tolerates 600 - 2,400mm with a dry season of 5 - 7 months[, ].
Prefers a sunny position[]. Grows best in a well-drained, light to medium soil of moderate fertility[]. The plant is found in the wild mainly on young, skeletal, shallow soils which are of volcanic origin, are freely drained and have suffered severe abuse through slash and bum agriculture, desiccation and erosion[]. Prefers a pH in the range 6 - 7, tolerating 5.5 - 7.5[].
Leucaena salvadorensis flowers and fruits much more shyly than most Leucaena species, and trees rarely fruit in the first year. Thereafter flowering and seed production are relatively sparse, with pods being produced singly on flower heads. This means that this is one of only five species of Leucaena that are judged to be of low weediness risk[].
A fast-growing species[].
When growing in agroforesty systems, the trees are sometimes managed by regular pruning in order to produce straight poles and reduce shade over crops[].
Plants are moderately susceptible 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

We have seen no records of this species being used for food, although (especially in southern Mexico) many species in the genus are commonly harvested for their immature seeds and young seedpods, leaves and flowerbuds[, ].
The seeds of this species are 8 - 12mm long and 5 - 7mm wide, with around 12,000 - 15,000 seeds per kilogram[].
The seedpods are a mid to reddish-brown, 140 - 180mm long and 26 - 29mm wide. There are 1 - 2 seedpods per flower head[].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree is planted for erosion control and the traditional retention by farmers of the tree in fields in parts of its natural range indicates the agroforestry potential of the species[].
It has been used in a series of alley-cropping trials and has been intercropped with corn, sorghum and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata)[, ].

Other Uses

An attractive wood, it is hard, heavy and durable, but not available in sufficient quantities for commercial exploitation. It is used locally for heavy construction[]. It is believed that reported straight, single-stemmed provenances may be the result of active manipulation by farmers. The poles are used in traditional houses as large-diameter corner posts and in roof construction. The wood is reputedly resistant to decay and durable in the ground; according to local residents, corner posts last 10 - 20 years[, ].
The wood is an excellent fuel wood because it is dense and is easily split and dried[].

Propagation

Seed - unlike all other Leucaena species, the seed of this species does not need pretreatment. Seeds genninate rapidly after sowing in 3 to 7 days; a germination percentages of 70 - 80% is readily obtained for fresh seed, and there is no significant reduction in seed viability after 5 years of cold storage[].
Cuttings of semi-ripe wood.

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