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Enterolobium cyclocarpum
Fabaceae FAMILY

Enterolobium cyclocarpum

Enterolobium cyclocarpum

Edibility
2/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

The dust from sawmilling can cause allergies[1]. The sawdust has been used as a fish poison[2]. It is also said to be able to kill mammals[2].

Cultivation Details

HabitDeciduous Tree
GrowthFast

Enterolobium cyclocarpum is a plant of low to medium elevations in the drier to moist tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,200 metres[3]. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 23 - 28°c, but can tolerate 18 - 36°c[4]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 750 - 2,500mm, but tolerates 600 - 3,000mm[4]. It is normally found in areas where there is a dry season of 1 - 6 months[3]. Prefers a fertile, well-drained soil and a position in full sun[5]. Seedlings grow best in a moderately sunny position[6]. Medium-textured soils are probably best, but eroded ultasols, deep moist clays, shallow sandy clays and porous limestone all allow good development[4]. Prefers a pH in the range 4.5 - 8, tolerating 4 - 8.5[4]. Established plants are very drought tolerant[5]. Although generally considered to have been introduced throughout the tropics, mainly as a roadside or garden tree, it is apparently little known or used outside its native range and has never been planted on a large scale[3]. It has been tested in plantations in Puerto, Ghana and sporadically elsewhere[3]. Trees resprout vigorously after coppicing or lopping[3]. Adult trees produce about 2,000 pods, each with 10 - 16 seeds[3]. This tree has been adopted as the national tree of Costa Rica[1]. 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[7].

Propagation

Seed - the seed coat is extremely thick and hard and seeds will not germinate unless they are treated to allow water to enter. This can be done by carefully cutting off a small part of the seed coat at the end away from the micropyle (scar), being careful not to damage the embryo, then soaking for a few hours in warm water. For larger amounts a suitable method is to soak the seeds for 30 seconds in water that is close to the boiling point followed by soaking for 24 hours in water at room temperature[1]. Seed should be sown at a depth of 1 - 2 cm with the micropyle (scar) pointing downwards otherwise the root may grow upwards and out of the soil. Germination is fast, it starts after about four days and is normally complete after 10 days. Germination is good, about 85%. The seedlings require little shade in the nursery. They are ready for planting in the field after six months. Early growth of the seedlings is exceptionally rapid and vigorous and this continues several months after outplanting but then growth rate, although still vigorous, falls to a level similar to other fast-growing species. The species is light-demanding at all stages in its development and it is susceptible to weed competition during early growth[1]. Natural regeneration is not seen in forests, Seeds are most easily collected from pods that have fallen to the ground[3]. Seed storage behaviour is orthodox; seeds tolerate desiccation to 10.7% mc[3]. Seeds remain viable for several years under cool, dry conditions and can be easily stored under normal conditions[3]. Natural regeneration is infrequent for several reasons[3]. The seeds are spread principally by grazing animals, and after germination are always browsed off. They are also susceptible to fire, excessive shade, drought and competition from grasses[3]. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Enterolobium+cyclocarpum>

Pollinators

Data unavailable

References

  1. [1]Seed Leaflets — Various · Forest & Landscape. Denmark · http://en.sl.life.ku.dk/Publikationer/Udgivelser/PopulaerPublikationer.aspx?katid={D28373CC-6EF3-4EF8-B097-6D83FABF209E}&serieid={9F1C3DB1-6E7B-4CF1-AF53-F480B0CB40EF}&sort=title ↩︎A series of leaflets, jointly produced by the University of Copenhagen and the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, focussing on seed information for a number species, but also giving a lot of other information about each plant.
  2. [2]Brazilian Trees. Volume 2. 4th Edition. — Lorenzi. H. · Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora; Brazil. · 2002 · ISBN 85-86714-15-1 ↩︎Information on 350 species of Brazilian trees. Stunning photographs of each species, brief details on the plant, its uses and how to grow it from seed. A superb work, with the minor irritation that the translation from Portuguese is not of the best.
  3. [3]World Agroforesty Centre — http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ ↩︎An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
  4. [4]Ecocrop — http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home ↩︎Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
  5. [5]Tropical and Subtropical Trees - A Worldwide Encyclopaedic Guide. — Barwick. M. · Thames & Hudson, London · 2004 · ISBN 0-500-51181-0 ↩︎A superb book, very concise and well written, giving a wealth of information on 400 or more species including descriptions, habitat, cultivation details and plant uses. A wealth of colour photographs bring each plant vividly to life.
  6. [6]Flora of Guatemala — Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark · 1946 - 1976 · http://www.archive.org/ ↩︎A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
  7. [7]Nodulation Plants in GRIN Taxonomy — United States Department of Agriculture · http://www.ars-grin.gov/~sbmljw/cgi-bin/taxnodul.pl?language=en ↩︎An online database listing plants that have either positive or negative reports on root and stem nodulation with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
  8. [8]Plant Resources of Southeast Asia — http://proseanet.org/ ↩︎Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
  9. [9]Dictionary of Economic Plants. — Uphof. J. C. Th. · Weinheim · 1959 · ISBN - ↩︎An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
  10. [10]The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa. — Burkil. H. M. · Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew. · 1985 - 2004 ↩︎Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
  11. [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎