Common Name:

General Information

Mimosa caesalpiniifolia is a spiny, deciduous shrub or tree with a wide, dense crown; it can grow 5 - 8 metres tall. The short bole is 20 - 30cm in diameter[].
A valuable timber species within its native range, where it is widely cultivated as a source of wood. It is also often grown as an ornamental[].
Mimosa caesalpiniifolia is suffering a slow decline through its use as a timber, fuelwood and charcoal and through habitat loss and degradation. The plant is classified as 'Vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - northeastern Brazil (Bahia, Ceará, Maranhão)

Habitat

Dry forest areas of northeast Brazil, found mainly in deep soils, growing in both primary and secondary formations[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Vulnerable
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	6.50 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the 'Caatinga' dry forest region of northeast Brazil. The climate is hot and dry, there are usually 6 to 11 months without rain each year. The mean annual rainfall varies from 250 - 1,000mm, and the mean annual temperature is from 24 - 26°c.
Requires a sunny position[]. A xerophytic species found growing mainly in deep alluvial soils in the wild[]. Established plants are drought tolerant[].
A fast-growing species, easily reaching a height of 4 metres within 2 years from seed[].
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

The bark is used to relieve coughs[].

The bark contains the triterpene morolic acid[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree is used in hedgerows[].
A fast-growing species that also fixes atmospheric nitrogen, it is used within its native range in reforestation projects to restore native woodland[].

Other Uses

The heartwood and sapwood are clearly demarcated. The wood is hard, heavy, compact with a high degree of durability even when exposed to water or buried in the soil. It has a smooth, shiny surface and is used for outdoor work such as railway ties, fences, posts, stakes, struts etc[].
The wood is used for fuel and to make charcoal[].

Propagation

Seed - it has a hard seedcoat and, unless sown as soon as it is ripe and still moist, 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. Sow the seed in a partially shaded position in individual containers or in a nursery seedbed. A germination rate of more than 50% can be expected, with the seed sprouting within 5 - 20 days[]. When the nursery bed sown seedlings are 3 - 5cm tall, pot them up into individual containers. Seedlings grow very quickly and should be ready to plant out 3 - 4 months later[].

Add a Comment:

If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.

Name:

Email(Private):

Message:

Captcha: what is half of 100?