Common Name: Sesbania Pea

General Information

Sesbania javanica is a perennial plant with stems that become more or less woody near the base. It can grow from 1 - 5 metres tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. The flowers are commonly harvested and sold as a food crop in local markets in Thailand. It is cultivated as a green manure and shade plant, and is also often grown as a hedge and an ornamental[].
Sesbania javanica is widespread and abundant throughout much of its known range with no known threats. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - s. China, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea, Australia

Habitat

Pools, marshes, low-lying wet areas and rice fields[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Shrub
Height	3.00 m
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

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

Leaves - cooked and eaten as a vegetable[]. The young shoots are cooked and eaten with various dishes[]

The flowers are eaten either raw, blanched, fried with egg or fermented. Because the flowers contain a carotenoid substance, they are used to give a yellow colour to various desserts such as kanom bua loi, which are coloured balls of sticky rice flour cooked in sweetended coconut milk[].

Medicinal

The leaves are used medicinally[]. No more information.
In ancient Thai traditional medicine, the plant (the report is probably referring to the flowers) was used as an antiinflammatory for treating insect bites, detoxicification, intestinal abscess healing, stomach discomfort and to relieve internal fever and thirst[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant is sometimes grown as a green manure and living fence, especially in wetter soils[, ].
The plant is used as a windbreak, live fence, living support for pepper plants and to provide shade in tea and coffee plantations[].

Other Uses

None known

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.
Cuttings.

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