Flueggea flexuosa
Flueggea flexuosa
Safety & Hazards
None known
Cultivation Details
A plant of the lowland, humid tropics, where it is found at elevations from sea level up to 900 metres]303]. It grows in areas where the mean maximum temperature is 26 - 32°c and the minimum temperature tolerated is 12°c[1]. The mean annual rainfall is in the range 1,500 - 5,000mm[1], usually distributed throughout the year, but the plant also tolerates a dry season of up to 4 months[2].. Requires a sunny position[1]. Succeeds in a wide range of soils including coralline, red clay, poorly drained, and coastal soils[2]. Plants can tolerate a small amount of salt spray and are moderately wind resistant[2]. Established plants are somewhat drought tolerant[2]. The plant is potentially invasive outside of its natural range, though it appears to have very limited potential to become abundant or a problem in little-disturbed native forest communities or on farmlands[2]. On good sites, the plant can grow more than 1.5 metres per year for the first 5 - 10 years, then less than 0.75 metres per year[2]. Plants can commence flowering when 2 - 3 years old[2]. In some areas, such as Samoa, the plant flowers all year round[2]. From the age of about 3 - 4 years, the plant demonstrates good self-pruning characteristics[2]. The lower branches are progressively shaded out, dying, and eventually being shed[2]. Trees can be a bit reluctant to resprout after coppicing. If the trunk is cut 1 metre above ground level, then plants up to the age of 10 years usually resprout successfully[2]. Mature trees might survive low-intensity ground fires, but generally this species does not grow back after fire[2]. A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required.
Propagation
Seed - ripe fruits should be soaked in water overnight and then depulped by rubbing and washing over a fine mesh sieve to remove the pulpy material[2]. The seed does not require pre-treatment - it should be sown in a potting compost and covered by about 1 - 2 mm of the compost[2]. The first seeds should germinate within 2 - 5 weeks[2]. The tiny seedlings grow very rapidly and can be transplanted into final nursery pots at the two- or four-leaf stage (about 10 days after germination)[2]. Seedlings prefer a position in full sun[2]. Under normal growing conditions, the seedlings are ready to plant out in 16 - 20 weeks. The ideal seedling height for outplanting is about 25 cm[2]. Seeds are orthodox, i.e., they retain viability when dried and stored. They may be kept for many years in airtight containers under refrigeration at 4°c[2]. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Flueggea+flexuosa>
Pollinators
Bees
References
- [1]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.
- [2]Traditional Trees of Pacific Islands — Elevitch. Craig. R. (Editor) · Permanent Agriculture Resources, Hawaii · 2006 · ISBN 0970254458 ↩︎Beautifully produced book with superb photos and detailed information on over 50 species of useful plants of the Pacific Islands.
- [3]Flora Vitiensis Nova — Smith. A.C. · Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden; Hawaii · 1979 · http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org ↩︎A comprehensive flora of Fiji, often showing plant uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
- [4]IUCN Red List of Threatened Species — http://www.iucnredlist.org/ ↩︎A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.