Fabaceae FAMILY

Poecilanthe itapuana

Edibility

0/5

Medicinal

0/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitSemi-deciduous Tree

GrowthMedium

Requires a sunny position^[1]. Tolerant of salty soils^[1]. Prefers a moist, sandy soil^[1]. Judging by the plants habitat, it is almost certainly tolerant of salt-laden winds^[PFAF]. Young plants have a moderately fast rate of growth, able to reach heights of up to 2 metres within 2 years from seed^[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^[2].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a sunny position in a nursery seedbed. A germination rate of more than 80% can be expected, with the seed sprouting within 10 - 20 days^[1]. Like many species within the family Fabaceae, once they have been dried for storage the seeds of this species may benefit from scarification before sowing in order to speed up and improve 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^[PFAF]. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Poecilanthe+itapuana>

Pollinators

Insects

References

[1]Brazilian Trees. Volume 3. — Lorenzi. H. · Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora; Brazil. · 2009 · ISBN 85-86714-34-4 ↩︎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.
[2]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.
[3]A Synopsis of the Genus Poecilanthe (Leguminosae, Papilionoideae, Brongniartieae) — Meireles J.E. & Tozzi A.M.G.de Azevedo · 2007 · ISBN 0370-6583 ↩︎
[PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎