This species has been confused with Sesbania grandiflora in the past and often lumped with that species. It is, however, a distinct species and should be treated so[].

Common Name: Swamp Corkwood

General Information

Sesbania formosa is a tree, usually growing 8 - 12 metres tall, but exceptionally to 20 metres[].
The tree is harvested from the wild as a local source of food and medicines. It is widely grown as a green manure, hedge plant and for soil stabilization, and also as an ornamental, being especially valued for its floral display.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Australia - Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia.

Habitat

Alluvial plains, river banks, and in seasonal swamps[]. Only found in areas where the water supply is reliable, such as monsoon forests, vine thickets, around swamps and flood plains and also permanent and seasonal streams[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	10.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the lowland tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 150 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 22 - 38°c, but can tolerate 14 - 45°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 250 - 1,100mm, but tolerates 100 - 1,300mm[].
Grows best in a sunny position[]. Succeeds in most soils, preferring low fertility[]. Prefers heavy soils[]. Tolerant of inundated soils[]. Prefers a pH in the range 5 - 6, tolerating 4.5 - 6.5[].
The plant has the potential to become a weed on some sites[].
A very fast-growing, but short-lived tree[, ].
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

Young leaves[].

Flowers - raw[]. Eaten in salads[].

Immature green pods and large fleshy pods are edible[].

This species has often been confused with S. Grandiflora in the past, and is a very similar species likely to have the same uses. In addition to the uses mentioned specifically for this species above, the following uses for S. Grandiflora almost certainly also apply here:-

Flowers - raw or cooked[]. Added to salads, boiled as a potherb, fried or used in curries[, ]. Considered a delicacy in India[]. Rich in sugar and iron, with a flavour like mushrooms[]. The centre part of the flower is usually removed because it is very bitter[]. White flowers are generally preferred to red ones[].

Seedpods - raw or cooked[]. The long, narrow pods are boiled and eaten like string beans[, ]. The very young seedpods can be added to salads[]. The pods can be up to 50cm long and 8mm wide[].

Seed. The protein rich seeds are fermented into tempeh[].

Young leaves and shoots - raw or cooked[, ]. Added to salads, cooked as a potherb or added to stews[].

A clear gum obtained from the bark is used in foods[].

Medicinal

Infusions of the inner bark are used medicinally by the Australian Aborigines[].

This species has often been confused with S. Grandiflora in the past, and is a very similar species likely to have the same uses. In addition to the uses mentioned specifically for this species above, the following uses for S. Grandiflora almost certainly also apply here:-

The leaves are aperient and diuretic[]. Crushed leaves are applied as a poultice to sprains and bruises of all kinds, swellings, rheumatism, itching etc[]. A tea made from the leaves is believed to have antibiotic, anthelmintic, antitumor and contraceptive properties[].

The bitter bark is considered as an astringent, febrifuge, tonic and an antipyretic, a remedy for gastric troubles, colic with diarrhoea and dysentery[, , ]. A bark decoction is taken orally to treat fever, diarrhoea, dysentery and diabetes[, ].

The flowers are emollient and laxative[]. Juice of the flowers, put in the eyes, is said to relieve dimness of vision[]. Sinus congestion is reduced by taking a decoction of the flowers[].

The root is a well-known medicine for malaria[]. Root juices are used for poultices[]. A paste of the root is applied externally in the treatment of rheumatism[].

Agroforestry Uses:

A fast-growing, nitrogen-fixing and short-lived tree. It should make an excellent pioneer species for re-establishing native woodland and establishing woodland gardens[].
The tree can be utilized as green manure, to provide shade and shelter, as a living fence, and for erosion control and reforestation of eroded hills[].

Other Uses

The wood can be used as low grade fuel and pulp.[].

This species has often been confused with S. Grandiflora in the past, and is a very similar species likely to have the same uses. In addition to the uses mentioned specifically for this species above, the following uses for S. Grandiflora almost certainly also apply here:-

Bark exudate and seed endosperm gums are produced. The clear bark gum is used in adhesives as a substitute for gum arabic[].

The bark yields tannins[, ].

At a very short rotation of 3 - 4 years, the tree is capable of producing much higher cellulose raw material per unit area than most other pulp woods[]. Even trees 3 - 4 years old can be pulped without debarking and are suitable for chemical pulping for use as cheap printing, writing, magazine and newsprint paper[]. The fibres are short. Fibre can also be blended with long-fibred bamboo pulp in suitable proportions to give good strength[]. On a 3-year rotation, about 41 t/ha per year of pulp can be harvested[].

The wood is rather light and not highly regarded as a fuel because it smokes excessively when burning. Having a weight of only 500 kg/square m, it burns rapidly without much heat. But its fast growth and availability within a year of planting make it a locally popular fuel wood[]. The wood should be well dried, as it deteriorates in storage and becomes corky, dusty and unfit for burning. Its calorific value is 17.91 MJ/kg, with a high ash content (6%) and low percentage of carbon (11.7%)[].

The density of the wood increases with age, and the timber from 5 to 8 year-old trees can be used in house construction or as craft wood[]. The trunk has been used for poles but may not last long due to rot and insect infestation[]. The light wood is used in floating fishing nets[].

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.

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