Common Name:

General Information

Prosopis ferox is a spiny shrub or small tree growing 2 - 7 metres tall[]. It has a short bole that can be up to 1 metre in diameter[].
The tree is sometimes harvested from the wild as a local source of wood and fuel.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - northwestern Argentina, southern Bolivia.

Habitat

A tree of semidesert vegetation that is rich in cacti, where it is often the only tree species found growing[]. It is found at elevations from 2,400 - 3,700 metres, though it descends much lower in the south of its range[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Shrub
Height	4.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the subtropics, just entering the tropics at elevations generally above 2,000 metres.
Species in this genus generaly require a sunny position in a well-drained soil[].
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

Fruits[]. The seedpods of many Prosopis species contain a fleshy pulp that is edible, usually with a sweet flavour[]. We have no specific information for this species other than the seedpod is 25 - 70mm long, 10 - 18mm wide, containing a layer of bitter pulp[, ].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree can be used for reforestation purposes in arid climates, though the related Prosopis tamarugo is generally considered a better choice for this purpose, being larger, faster-growing and less spiny[].

Other Uses

The wood is usually of small dimensions, but is used locally for various purposes[].
The wood is a good quality fuel[, ].

Propagation

Like many species within the family Fabaceae, once they have ripened and dried the seeds of this species may benefit from scarification before sowing in order 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[].

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