Common Name:

General Information

Inga oerstediana is a tree growing 4 - 20 metres tall. The bole can be 10 - 40cm in diameter, with branches forming from fairly low down[].
The tree is commonly grown to provide shade in plantations in Central America[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela; C. America - Panama to southern Mexico; Caribbean - Trinidad to Grenada.

Habitat

Rainforests, mainly on the margins of rivers and wooded areas, at low to medium elevations[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	15.00 m
Pollinators	Bees, Butterflies, Insects
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of hot, humid, lowland areas in the tropics[].

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

Although we have no specific information on this species, the pulp surrounding the seeds of many members of the genus is sweet and edible[]. The yellowish seedpod can be 8 - 32cm long[].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree is widely grown to provide shade in coffee and cacoa plantations in Central America[, ].
Inga species generally have a number of factors that make them popular for use as shade trees in coffee and cacao plantations:- they grow quickly and so soon make an effecte shade; they respond well to drastic pruning and so are easy to keep within the required size and shade levels; they promote and maintain soil fertility; they are effective soil stabilizers[].

Other Uses

The wood of Inga species is generally attractive, but it has a coarse texture, is susceptible to attack by dry-wood termites and is not durable in the soil[].
The wood is used for fuel[]. When grown as a shade tree, the plant is pruned on a regular basis, and these prunings are often burned as a fuel[].

Propagation

Seed -

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