Common Name:

General Information

Albizia pedicellaris is a semideciduous tree with an open, vase-shaped crown; usually growing 4 - 20 metres tall, but with some trees reported as reaching 40 metres. The straight, cylindrical bole can be 30 - 60cm in diameter and unbranched for up to 11.5 metres[, ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use of its timber. It can be grown as a pioneer species when restoring native woodland or establishing a woodland garden[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia; C. America - Nicaragua.

Habitat

Rain forests, in areas not subject to seasonal inundation, found mainly in dense, primary formations in deep, moist, fertile soils[]. Found at elevations from 100 - 340 metres in Central America, up to 750 metres in the Amazon[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Semi-deciduous Tree
Height	12.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in full sun to moderate shade[]. Grows best in moist soils of good fertility[].
Young plants are fast-growing[].
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

None known

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

A fast growing tree that fixes atmospheric nitrogen, succeeds in full sun and has an open crown, it can be used as a pioneer species when restoring native woodland or when establishing a woodland garden[, ].

Other Uses

The heartwood is a pale chestnut reddish; the sapwood is pale yellow. The texture is medium; the grain straight or interlocked; lustre is medium; there is a distinctive aroma, but no distinctive taste. The wood is moderately heavy, soft, of poor mechanical properties and not durable. It is only used for low value items such as boxes, tool handles, toys, wooden shoes, ceilings and linings[, ].

Propagation

Seed - it has a hard seedcoat and may benefit from scarification before sowing to speed up and improve 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. Sow the treated seed in a partially shaded position in a nursery seedbed. A low germination rate can be expected even when the seed is treated, with the seed sprouting within 14 - 28 days[].

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