Common Name:

General Information

Paraserianthes lophantha is a semideciduous shrub or small tree growing just 1 - 2 metres tall on unfavourable sites, but 4 - 15 metres tall on better sites. It has a spreading crown. The straight bole can be up to 30cm in diameter[, ].
The tree is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use of its edible seed. It is grown in agroforestry systems and also as an ornamental[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Southeast Asia - Indonesia; Western Australia.

Habitat

Light montane forest, elfin forest, grassy plains, often on crater-slopes and on stony, open places; shade-intolerant; found at elevations from 1,500 - 3,265 metres, occasionally descending to 600 metres[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Semi-deciduous Tree
Height	12.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the subtropics and tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 300 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 18 - 26°c, but can tolerate 10 - 32°c[]. When dormant, the plant can survive temperatures down to about -2°c, but young growth can be severely damaged at 0°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 700 - 1,000mm, but tolerates 550 - 1,150mm[].
Grows best in a sunny position[]. Succeeds in a wide range of soils, preferably well-drained, though it can tolerate wetter conditions[]. Prefers a pH in the range 7 - 7.5, tolerating 6.5 - 8[]. Established plants are moderately drought tolerant[].
The tree is a potential weed on moist, fertile valley sites[].
A fast-growing tree[].
The trees fruit at a young age of 5 - 6 years, but then gradually decay because of infection by the rust fungus Uromycladium tepperianum[].
The tree is usually killed by forest fires[]. However, the seeds, which have a hard, thick seed-coat, germinate freely after the influence of fire. This often results in single-dominant groves after the fire[].
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

The seed may sometimes be used as a vegetable as a substitute for petai (Parkia speciosa) or as a flavouring to replace jengkol (Archidendron jiringa)[].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree is very fast-growing and fixes atmospheric nitrogen. It can be used as a pioneer species in reforestation projects[].
It can be used for the rehabilitation of sand dunes, for soil protection and shelter belts, and as a shade tree[].

Other Uses

The wood is of poor quality for fuel[].

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.

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