Common Name:

General Information

Prosopis chilensis is a small, deciduous, usually spiny, freely branching tree with a thin, open, rounded crown; it can grow 8 - 15 metres tall. The short bole is often twisted, it can be up to 70cm in diameter[, ].
The seedpods are often used within the plant's native range to make swees and drinks[]. The tree is harvested from the wild and also semi-cultivated for its edible seedpod, wood etc. It is cultivated as a hedge and is also planted for shade whilst thornless varieties are grown as ornamentals[, ].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - central Chile, and northwestern Argentina to Bolivia and Peru.

Habitat

A common ruderal weed, coming up singly and in groups along roadsides, round habitations, on refuse dumps and in other disturbed habitats; in arid and semi-arid regions[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	12.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Insects
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Semi-cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 2,900 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 22 - 30°c, but can tolerate 12 - 45°c[]. The mature tree may tolerate temperatures down to around -5°c for a short duration, but it cannot withstand repeated frosts and young growth can be killed at -1°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 300 - 500mm, but tolerates 200 - 600mm[].
Requires a sunny position. Succeeds in shallow soils of low fertility and in saline soils[, ]. Prefers a pH in the range 6.5 - 7.5, tolerating 6 - 8.5[]. Established plants can withstand 8 - 11 months of annual drought[].
An aggressive plant, it may easily become a weed[].
In trials, this species has proved to be one of the fastest-growing trees under arid conditions in central Argentina[].
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 seedpods contain a sweet, edible pulp surrounding the seeds[, ]. They can be used to make a drink[]. The pods are dried and then ground into a powder[]. The seedpod is around 12 - 18cm long by 10 - 18mm wide and 6mm thick[].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree can be grown as a hedge[]. It is also of potential use for soil stabilization and erosion control[].
Trees are usually spiny, but unarmed forms occur and these are of interest in future breeding programmes for arid and semi-arid areas[, ].
The plant is a natural pioneer species, commonly invading open areas and often seen as a weed in pastures. It can be used in native reforestation programmes[].

Other Uses

A gum is obtained from the stems[]. It has been used as a substitute for gum arabic (from Acacia spp.)[].

The heartwood is reddish-brown to dark brown; the sapwood is pale yellow. The grain is straight; lustre is bright. The wood is fairly dense, durable to very durable. It is easy to saw and plane and is capable of a good finish. It is used for parquet floors, doors, furniture, construction etc[, , ].
The wood is excellent for both firewood and charcoal[, ]. When burnt, it ignites readily, has a high calorific value, emits intense heat, makes enduring embers and leaves little ash[].

Propagation

Seed - it remains viable for several years in normal storage[]. The seeds are hardcoated and must be scarified in order to germinate. Burning, nicking and immersion in boiling water are some of the methods that can be used. If the seeds are not extracted from the pods before sowing, they will normally require several minutes of boiling to overcome dormancy. Normally the seeds are sown directly in containers. Germination starts after 2 weeks and continues for up
to one month. When the plants are 30 - 35cm tall they are ready for planting in the field[].
Direct seeding is also possible[].

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