Sesbania tomentosa
Sesbania tomentosa
Safety & Hazards
None known
Cultivation Details
Prefers a sunny position and a well-drained, light-textured soil[1]. A xeric plant, growing best in dry conditions and generally tolerant of strong winds and salt spray[1]. Established plants are drought tolerant[1]. This species is endemic to Hawaii, where it is endangered, but it has also become established as an escape from cultivation in Puerto Rico and reportedly elsewhere in the tropics[2] Tree or tall bush forms with top heavy growth may need to be staked in order to prevent them toppling over due to the wind, especially if they are grown in softer (i.e. loamy, sandy) soils. Too much water and fertilizer (especially with extra nitrogen) may be the culprits for this luxuriant growth[1]. On sunny days the leaf clusters at the stem tips have a fragrance that resembles the scent of nectarines[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[3]
Propagation
Seed - it has a hard seedcoat and may benefit from scarification before sowing to speed up 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. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Sesbania+tomentosa>
Pollinators
Bees
References
- [1]Native Plants Hawaii — http://nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/ ↩︎A website containing information on a range of native Hawaiian plants, with descriptions, habitat, traditional uses etc.
- [2]Hawaii Biodiversity and Mapping Programme — http://hbmp.hawaii.edu/hbmp/index.html ↩︎A series of fact sheets on some of the more threatened species of plant and animal life on the islands of Hawaii. Over 1,300 soecies, about half of which are plants!
- [3]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
- [4]Hawaiian Native Plant Propagation Database — http://pdcs.ctahr.hawaii.edu:591/hawnprop/ ↩︎Detailed information on the propagation of a wide range of Hawaiian plants.
- [5]National Tropical Botanical Garden — http://ntbg.org/plants/choose_a_plant.php ↩︎General information on almost 400 species, with descriptions, habitats and some uses.