Common Name:

General Information

Prosopis ruscifolia is a spiny, deciduous tree with an open, roundish or elongate crown; it can grow 5 - 12 metres tall. The straight, cylindrical bole can be 70 - 90cm in diameter[].
The tree yields a good quality timber which is harvested from the wild and used locally. The seedpods are sometimes eaten, the plant has medicinal uses, and the tree is an excellent pioneer for restoring woodland.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, northeast Brazil.

Habitat

The Pantanal region of Brazil, growing on open, flat land that can be inundated for several months of the year[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	10.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the 'Pantanal' region of S. America, which has an average yearly rainfall of 1,000 - 1,400mm, but is fed by the upper Paraguay River which floods in the wet season, causing large areas to be under water for several months of the year. Its average temperature is 25°c, but this can fluctuate from 0 - 40°c.
Requires a sunny position[].
The plant invades pasture in Argentina, where it is considered to be a serious pest[]. The plant colonizes open pasture rapidly, forming in its young state dense, spiny, impenetrable thickets[]. The plant is spread through animals eating the seedpods and then voiding the hard-coated seeds undamaged and able to germinate better as a result of their experience![].
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

Pods - cooked or used as a meal[]. The report does not make it clear if the immature seeds or mature seeds are eaten. If it is used as a meal, the suggestion is that the mature seeds are dried and ground into a powder[].

Medicinal

The leaves are said to have medicinal properties[].

The leaves are astringent and bitter. An infusion is used as a wash to treat diseases of the eyes[].

Agroforestry Uses:

A natural pioneer species within its native range, rapidly invading pasture land and other open areas[]. Considered a weed by cattle ranchers, it is fast-growing, fixes atmospheric nitrogen and can be used as a pioneer to establish native woodland or a woodland garden[, ].

Other Uses

The heartwood is reddish-yellow. The wood is thick-textured, straight-grained, heavy, hard, elastic, with good mechanical properties and moderately durable. It is only used locally, for applications such as furniture, door and window frames, cooperage, poles, railway ties etc[, ]. The fully grown tree yields a good timber of similar quality to that obtained from Prosopis alba and Prosopis nigra[]. It is used for flooring, barrels, carpentry etc[, ].
The wood is used for fuel and to make 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. Sow the seed in a sunny position in a nursery seedbed. A germination rate of above 50% can be expected, with the seed sprouting within 7 - 14 days[].

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