Albizia myriophylla – Albizia Myriophylla ("licorice albizia")
Albizia myriophylla is a tropical albizia from the legume family (Fabaceae), a climbing, thorny shrub with exceptionally feathery foliage. In Southeast Asia, it is valued primarily as a natural substitute for licorice – its wood, shoots, and roots are sweet and are used in traditional medicine.
Synonyms and nomenclature
The species was described by Bentham (1844), with the basionym Acacia myriophylla Steud. The Kew POWO database lists about 9 synonyms for it; the most important include:
- Acacia myriophylla Steud. (basionym)
- Mimosa microphylla Roxb.
- Albizia microphylla (Kuntze) J.F.Macbr.
- Feuilleea microphylla Kuntze
- Acacia roxburghii Kostel.
- Acacia foliolosa Graham
- Albizia myriophylla var. foliolosa Baker
- Albizia thorelii Pierre
In Thai, the plant is called cha-em-thet ("Thai licorice"), and in English "liquorice tree/vine"; the Polish name in our store is albizia myriophylla. The epithet myriophylla means "with countless leaflets" – interestingly, some synonyms are based on the opposite microphylla ("small-leaved").
Origin and appearance
The species originates from tropical Asia – from Assam and India through Indochina (Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia) to the northern part of the Malay Peninsula, where it grows on forest edges, sandy riverbanks, and disturbed areas. It is a climbing, scandent shrub or liana, sometimes a small tree, with shoots armed with small, hooked thorns that aid climbing.
The leaves are bipinnate and exceptionally feathery – with 8–20 pairs of segments, each bearing about 25–60 pairs of small leaflets (hence the name "with countless leaflets"). The flowers are gathered in fluffy heads arranged in panicles; typical for albizia, they consist of numerous white stamens creating a creamy "pom-pom" effect. The fruit is a flat, thin, papery pod 15–20 cm long, containing several seeds.
Frost resistance and cultivation
Albizia myriophylla is a strictly tropical plant, frost-sensitive (USDA zones 10–11), not adapted to frost. In temperate climates, it is grown in a pot: in warmth, full sun, and moderate humidity, protected from frost – in Poland as a plant under cover or indoors. It prefers permeable, even sandy soil (in nature, it grows on riverbanks). As a legume, it fixes atmospheric nitrogen and enriches the soil.
Cultivation from seeds
Seeds, like most legumes, have a hard, impermeable coat, so they require breaking dormancy. Typically, they are soaked in hot water for 12–24 hours; if they do not swell, the coat is nicked (scarification) and soaked again. After breaking dormancy, they are sown in warm (25–30°C), moist, permeable substrate – germination is then quick and eager. This is an easy cultivation where the only barrier is the hard seed coat.
Uses and safety
In Southeast Asia, the wood, shoots, and roots of this albizia are sweet and serve as a substitute for real licorice – their sweetness comes from triterpenoid saponins (albiziasaponins), not sugar. In traditional medicine, the root was used for sore throat, cough, as an expectorant and tonic. In our offer, it is primarily an extraordinary collector’s and ornamental plant with feathery foliage.
Interesting facts
It is one of the few naturally sweet plants without sugar – its licorice flavor comes from triterpenoid saponins, chemically unrelated to either cane sugar or glycyrrhizin of true licorice. Unlike the famous silk albizia (Albizia julibrissin), it is not a shade tree but a thorny climbing species thanks to its hooked thorns.
Summary
Albizia myriophylla is a choice for exotic plant collectors – feathery leaves, fluffy white flowers, and sweet licorice-scented wood make it truly unique. Cultivation from seeds is easy after breaking the hard coat; it only requires warmth and protection from frost.
