Common Name:

General Information

Prosopis pallida is a shrub or a small to medium-sized deciduous tree with a broad crown; it can grow from 8 - 20 metres tall. The tree is usually spiny, at least when it is young, and has an irregular, often crooked, short bole up to 60cm in diameter[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use of its edible seedpods, timber, tannins etc. Thornless varieties have been developed and these are sometimes planted for shade and as ornamentals[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia.

Habitat

Dry coastlines, often dominating in arid, saline soils[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	12.00 m
Pollinators	Bees
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of drier areas in the tropics and subtropics, where it can be found at elevations up to 300 metres[]. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 22 - 28°c, but can tolerate 19 - 32°c[]. Mature plants can be killed by temperatures of -2°c or lower, but new growth can be killed at -1°c []. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 500 - 1,000mm, but tolerates 250 - 1,250mm[].
Requires a sunny position. Succeeds in a range of well-drained soils, including saline soils[]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 6, tolerating 5 - 6.7[]. Established plants have deep tap roots and are very drought tolerant[, ].
The tree can form dense thickets. It is a prolific producer of seed, which can be dispersed by water, in mud adhering to animals, boots etc, and by being eaten and defecated[]. It has escaped from cultivation in many areas and can become an invasive and troublesome weed[, ].
Plants grow quite slowly when young, to around 1 metre annually[].
Plants are very fast to mature, able to flower and fruit within two years of sowing the seed[].
Trees can be coppiced[].
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

Fruit[]. The flesh inside the seedpod is pulpy with a sweet flavour[]. The seedpod is 10 - 25cm long and 10 - 15mm wide[]. The seedpods can be added to soups and corn meal; or made into a sweet syrup and used to prepare various drinks[].

Medicinal

The seedpods are used in the treatment of dysentery[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree is suitable for reforestation of hot dry areas where the soil is highly saline[].
The tree is grown as a cover for the soil and shifting sand dunes in order to prevent erosion[].

Other Uses

The bark is a source of tannins[, ].

A gum exuding from the trunk can be used in glue and vanish[, ].

The heartwood is dark reddish-brown, the sapwood light yellow[]. The wood is dense, strong, relatively easy to work, durable but susceptible to termite attack[]. It is used for crossties, piling, rural carpentry, vehicle parts, furniture, fence posts etc[].
The wood can be used for fuel and for making charcoal[].

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.
Suckers
Layering

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