Mexican gliricidia - Gliricidia sepium Gliricidia sepium is a fast-growing tree from the legume family (Fabaceae), native to the seasonally... Read more
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Gliricidia sepium
No. The plant tolerates only a light, short-lived frost, not prolonged freezing temperatures; it is generally suited to USDA zones 10–11. In Poland, it cannot be left outdoors in the ground over winter and must be grown in a pot.
Before the first cold nights, when temperatures fall below about 10°C, move the plant to a bright room, ideally above 15°C. Reduce watering in winter. In cooler conditions, the tree may drop its leaves - this is a natural dormant period.
In the tropics, it usually reaches 10–12 m tall. In a pot, its size is limited by the container volume and regular pruning, which the species tolerates very well. This makes it easy to keep as a small tree or shrub.
It is one of the fastest-growing tropical trees, gaining up to 3 m a year in the wild. In pots in Europe, growth is slower and depends on the amount of light, temperature, and pot size.
Well-draining, slightly acidic to neutral soil is best, such as general-purpose potting soil amended with sand or perlite and a layer of drainage material. During the growing season, water when the top layer has dried out; avoid letting water collect in the pot.
As a legume, it fixes nitrogen from the air with the help of root-nodule bacteria, so it does not need heavy feeding. A moderate dose of balanced fertilizer every few weeks from spring to late summer is enough.
Yes, take care. The seeds and bark were traditionally used to make rodent poison, and the coumarins in the plant turn into dicoumarol after fermentation. The plant is not edible; keep it out of reach of children and pets.
It is possible, but potted plants do not flower regularly. Flowering is encouraged by plant maturity, very good light, and a distinct dormant period with reduced watering, resembling the natural dry season.
Gliricidia needs full sun and warmth. In summer, it does best on a sunny terrace or balcony sheltered from the wind, and the rest of the year near a bright window, in a conservatory, or in a greenhouse.
Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Kunth is a tree in the legume family (Fabaceae), subfamily Faboideae, and tribe Robinieae. It is one of the most widely cultivated multipurpose tree species in the tropics, providing fodder, fuelwood, shade for crops, material for living fences, and green manure. For exotic plant enthusiasts, it is above all a fast-growing, pruning-tolerant tree with striking pinnate leaves and pink-lilac flowers.
In its natural habitat, it is a tree or large shrub, usually reaching 10–12 m in height; American sources give a range of about 5 to 15 m. The trunk is short and often twisted, with a diameter of up to 50 cm, though rarely exceeding 40 cm in the usable portion. The bark is smooth or slightly cracked, ranging in color from grayish white to deep reddish brown. The plant has no thorns.
The leaves are imparipinnate, 15–40 cm long, and consist of 7–17 leaflets. Each leaflet is 3–6 cm long and 1.5–3 cm wide. The foliage forms a light, airy crown that lets plenty of light through, which is why the tree is popular for shading plantations.
The flowers are typically papilionaceous, about 2 cm long, borne on 8–12 mm pedicels in axillary racemes 5–12 cm long. They have ten stamens, nine fused and one free. The fruit is a flat pod measuring 10–15 × 1.2–1.5 cm, green when young and yellow-brown when ripe, containing 4–10 rounded, brown seeds about 1 cm long. The chromosome number is 2n = 20.
Gliricidia is one of the fastest-growing trees in the tropics. Under favorable conditions, an established tree grows up to 3 m per year. It is a pioneer, ruderal species, quickly colonizing clearings and burned areas in the wild. Fire destroys its above-ground parts, but the plant regrows from the root collar after the rains arrive.
It tolerates regular pollarding very well. In fodder production, it is pruned every 2–4 months at a height of 0.5–2 m, and produces 1–2 m-long shoots after each cut. This makes it easy to shape into a multi-stemmed shrub or a small tree with a domed crown when grown in a pot.
During the dry season, the tree usually sheds its leaves, but with sufficient soil moisture it may remain partially leafed. When grown in containers in Europe, its growth rate is significantly lower than in the tropics and depends mainly on the amount of light, temperature, and pot size.
Flowering is closely tied to the seasonal cycle. In its natural range, it begins shortly after the shortest day of the year (December–January), when the tree loses its leaves and the dry season begins. Pink to lilac flowers, often with a white bloom and a pale yellow spot at the base of the banner petal, appear on bare shoots, creating a highly decorative effect. At higher elevations, flowering may be delayed by about two months. The flowers are popular with bees and considered a valuable source of forage for them.
Pods mature within 40–55 days of flowering, and seed dispersal takes about 20 days. Mature pods split open, ejecting seeds some distance from the tree. In its natural range and in tropical cultivation, the species also propagates very easily vegetatively: thick, woody stem cuttings 0.5–2 m long, stuck into the ground, root within a few weeks—the tradition of “living fence posts” is based on this.
When grown in pots in Europe, flowering is irregular. It is encouraged by plenty of light, a distinct dormant period with reduced watering, and a plant that has reached maturity.
The species is native to seasonally dry tropical forests. In the wild, it grows from sea level to about 1,200 m above sea level (up to 1,500–1,600 m in cultivation), with an average annual temperature of 20–29°C and rainfall of 900–1,500 mm, including a dry season of about five months. However, it tolerates annual rainfall ranging from about 630 to over 3,500 mm and high temperatures of up to about 42°C.
It is exceptionally tolerant of soil types: it grows in sandy, clay, calcareous, and volcanic soils, including shallow and eroded soils. According to Wikipedia, it grows best in acidic soils (pH 4.5–6.2), while USDA NRCS gives a suitable pH range of 5.0–8.5. It tolerates some salinity and wind, but not prolonged waterlogging around the roots.
Cold hardiness is limited. According to FAO and PROSEA, the plant can tolerate a light overnight frost, but not prolonged freezing; horticultural literature places it in USDA zones 10–11. Wikipedia states that mature trees may survive brief drops in temperature to around −8°C, but this should not be relied on in cultivation.
In Poland and most of Central Europe, gliricidia is grown as a container plant. From the second half of May through September, it can be kept outdoors in a sunny spot sheltered from the wind. When night-time temperatures begin to fall below around 10°C, move the plant indoors, into a conservatory or into a heated greenhouse.
The plant is best overwintered in a bright room at temperatures above 15°C, with reduced watering. In cooler conditions, it may shed its leaves and enter dormancy, in keeping with its natural rhythm; the potting mix should then be kept only slightly moist. In spring, as the days get longer, resume regular watering and fertilizing.
The potting mix should be free-draining – a blend of all-purpose potting soil with added sand or perlite works well, along with a drainage layer at the bottom of the pot. During the growing season, water when the top layer has dried out. As a legume that lives in symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, it does not need heavy nitrogen fertilization; moderate, balanced feeding every few weeks from spring to late summer is sufficient. Repot as the roots fill the pot, preferably in spring.
Prune to shape in spring, before new growth begins. The tree responds well even to hard pruning, making it possible to keep it to a size suited to the space available.
In tropical countries, gliricidia is a common roadside, park and hedge tree, and during flowering it draws attention with pink clouds of flowers on its bare branches. It is planted as a shade tree in cocoa, coffee and tea plantations, and as a living support for vanilla and pepper.
In our climate, it is an attractive container plant and a fine specimen for a conservatory. Its light, feathery leaves pair well with palms, cycads, and other tropical plants. Its tolerance of pruning makes it suitable for training as a small tree.
The genus name Gliricidia derives from Latin words meaning “mouse killer” and refers to the traditional use of the seeds, bark, and leaves to make rodent poison. The epithet sepium means “of hedges,” referring to the tree’s former use as a living fence. Jacquin described the species as Robinia sepium; Kunth gave it its current name.
The Spanish name madre de cacao (“mother of cacao”) is a calque of the Nahuatl cacahuanāntli and refers to the tree’s role in providing shade for cacao plantations. In many countries in the region, it is also known as mata ratón. Gliricidia was cultivated in the Americas as early as pre-Columbian times, and today it is widespread throughout the tropics.
The species is closely related to Gliricidia maculata. For a long time, the two names were treated as synonyms, but according to POWO (Kew), G. maculata is now an accepted species, ranging from southeastern Mexico to Guatemala, while the name G. maculata var. multijuga is listed as a synonym of G. sepium. Horticultural and commercial literature often continues to use both names interchangeably.
Mexican gliricidia is a good choice for anyone looking to quickly grow an impressive exotic plant in a pot and who doesn’t mind regular pruning. We recommend it to beginners with an interest in tropical plants who have a bright place to overwinter it, as well as collectors of legume plants, conservatory owners, and people interested in useful tropical plants, including agroforestry.
Gliricidia sepium combines fast growth, tolerance of challenging conditions, and decorative flowers. In Europe, it needs to be grown in a container and overwintered in a warm, bright room, but rewards you with vigorous growth and ease of shaping. According to the IUCN Red List, the species is classified as Least Concern (LC), and in some tropical regions where it has been introduced, it is considered invasive.
Very Large plant choice
just I found it quite annoying that the majority was palm seeds,
not what i like the most
Snelle levering (vanuit Polen) en zaden zien er goed uit.
